ATTMFC 2: SOULS & SECRETS
by My Pharaoh's Keeper
Summary: Back at "home", 5 years passed since Corrine & Treyvon had their crazy adventure in Yugioh world. Feeling more alone & left out, Corrine decides to embrace life in the real world, until a celestial encounter lures Corrine and the boys to anime world & to the original duel grounds! New OCs & MANY plot twists to come! Book 2 of A Trip Through My Favorite Cartoon! Slight Crossover!
1. Back Into The Swing Of Things

**Beware : This Yugioh fanfiction is to be somewhat of a crossover with characters from other already existing animes. This fanfiction comes solely from my mind and what I imagine would happen in my version of this classic story. So if you read any content that gets you confused with the character's origin, don't worry. It's not true. In other words...**

 **DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. I ALSO DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS USED FROM ANY OTHER ANIMES MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THE FANFIC. OCs LIKE CORRINE CASTERWILL HOWEVER ARE MINE, SO PLEASE DON'T USE THEM WITHOUT CONSENT.**

 **NOW ENJOY YOUR SEQUEL.**

 **Yugi: Danggg MPK! Back at it again with a Yugioh fanfiction!**

* * *

"Yo! What are you doing!?"

"I'm sorry! I almost done!"

"Geez, boy. Hurry up!"

"Okay! Down in a minute."

Huuuuuuh! Make this any easier on me, damn. Today's just to hectic for me. I can't take all these emotions piling on at once. I think I'm going to explode...

"Yo! Let's goooooo!"

"I'M COMING DAMMIT DON'T RUSH ME!"

"Dude, what is your problem!?"

"I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT YOU WILL IF YOU DON'T STOP FREAKING RUSHING ME!"

"Okay, okay. No need to be upset, _young master_."

"Hey, it's time to go out there. Good luck."

I looked at the girl in the doorway and smiled slightly, "Yeah. And let's not break our legs okay?"

She smiled at my horrible pun, "Sure."

From the graveyard, to the classroom, to the stage. Huuh! Alright, let's go.

"STUDIO DI!" Our group chants before half of them run onto the stage. "Leggo!"

Showtime.

* * *

My name is Treyvon "Niall" Casterwill. Niall is the name I was born with, or rather the name she told me I was given. She died believing that, so that is what I'm going to call myself. But at home with my family, so that everyone who knows me as Treyvon, won't think I'm crazy and I don't have to explain to them why it's my real name.

Today is May 27. The day of biochemistry class final. The day of the tag team dance competition. The 5th anniversary of my mother's death. And my birthday. Yup.

Exactly 5 years ago, around this time of the day, I turned 11 years old while watching my mother die in a hospital bed. On that day me, my brother, and basically my foster sister became parent less. 5 years later, right now at this moment, I officially turn 16 and I am patiently waiting backstage with my teammates for our turn in the competition.

My morning started with the family and I getting up early to visit our mother and father's grave. Rashidi and Rehema Casterwill. I assume it's their real names. Everyone around here knew them as Mr. Rashad and Mrs. Rebe, their nicknames in the streets. We stood out there for just about half an hour or so just venting, or at least my brother and I did. Our 'foster' sister just stood behind, not really showing any emotion. She been like this since mom died. But I mean I can't really blame her, finding out on the spur of the moment that she not blood related to us. No matter how much we tried to convince her that we were still her family no matter what, I guess she still feels out of place among us now. So her attitude towards us has become pretty distant over the years. The only person she seems to be close with, is _him_. Oh, but I guess I should back track and explain a bit huh?

Just before my mother died, my sister or who I once thought was my sister, Corrine Casterwill and I were transported to the world of Yugioh. Not the dueling type of Yugioh you all know from the Saturday morning cartoons, but Season Zero. That day, I went to school the same route I as my sister. She had went to school first, and was at least a street ahead of me since she had to be to school before I did. She was in high school at the time, my middle school which wasn't in the same building, was the same way though. Somehow I ended up catching up to Corrine, but when I did I realized that she was getting beat up by those arrogant wannabe thugs who go to her school, that usually walked the same direction. I saw one of them try to take her iPad and I could only think in my head how stupid she was for holding that thing out in plain sight. But then there was a bright light, the next thing I knew those idiots were running away from her like they had seen a ghost, and Corrine was gone. I ran over to where she was and saw no signs of her even being there. I started to call my brother for help, but I picked up Corrine's tablet so I could stuff it in my backpack, it started shining bright and I dropped my phone. And just like that, I had dropped my backpack, the tablet and my phone and had fallen into a dumpster. When I was able to crawl out and after I looked at my surroundings, I realized I was in the Yugioh world, right outside KaibaCorp too be exact. The rest really is history. All in all, we spent about 5 months in the Yugioh world. Here however, when we arrived and checked, only 5 days had passed in comparison. We woke up in the same alleyway we started in, the one where I found Corrine. We didn't really questioned anything, just ran to the school before heading to the hospital with my brother and Corrine's "bf". We stayed at the hospital with mom one day and one night, before she passed away.

My older brother Tyler "Lindo" Casterwill, who was 18 at the time, is 23 now. Even though he doesn't really like it when I call him Lindo, I still do it. But only on days that he's not super stressed out or pissed. Ever since mom died, Tyler was the one who had to step up and take care of us. Since he was 18 and already had part time job he was somewhat eligible to legally do so. He got a few good friends, or at least I think they are, who were good with legal issues to convince some people, which we're going to call "the government" that Tyler was basically old enough and was stable enough mentally and financially. It wasn't easy, especially when he was scheduled to start college soon. He had to put that on hold a year and work full time. Soon Corrine was able to take a couple part time jobs, and I had a summer jobs. All that combined with the money both mom and dad had left for us, we became stable enough that Tyler didn't have to work two jobs. Now, Tyler goes to college in the morning, has little time to rest in the afternoon, and works in the evening, only to get off a few hour before school starts.

Corrine, who was 14 at the time, is now 19. Since coming back, she's finished high school but decided not to go to college and works two part time jobs. One in the morning, which is working at a flower shop across from the grocery store done the street, and the other she works in the afternoon til half the evening as a dance instructor at the rec center across from my high school. She's co-choreographer for the dance team in our neighborhood, called Studio Di, the same one I joined. Studio Di, stands for different, because that's the word that really defines our group. It's full of different kinds of people, black to white _(Of course, there's more than just those races. I'm just tryin' to make a point.)_ , young to old _(well, only to 18)_ , nerds to popular kids, hopefully now you get my point.

I joined Studio Di when I was still in middle school. Tyler had suggested to me to join an extracurricular club at school, to take my mind off of mom. But, all the after school clubs at my school were trash, and no I'm not afraid to say it. In fact, my whole middle school was trash, and no one's gonna stop me from saying it. But let me stop going off topic, *cough*. Back then, Studio Di wasn't very popular and only had a few people involved with it. When I joined, the after school dancing helped me relax. At first, I wasn't very good, and just tried my best to follow behind the seniors of the group, but by the end you could already see that I showed improvement. A lot has changed with the group in 5 years however. Studio Di was of the brink of extinction when the dance instructors quit. Before you ask, it was for an unknown reason. Buuut, if you want hear my suspicion, _they were busted for selling weed and got sent to prison. The norm' for people around here_. After they quit, with no one to teach, most kids started to leave and get into bad things, basically turning into potential thugs and prostitutes. No joke intended. Before things got worse though, two young adults fresh outta high school applied for the jobs to teach at the rec center. One being Corrine, and the other, _him_. Who is this _him_? Huuh, I guess I can't dodge the question forever.

He is Kai, Corrine's best friend. No one knows his last name. It's like a secret, the only thing that no one knows about him, not even Corrine _(Apparently his teachers never called him by his last name)_. His street name is _KAI_ , ironically. Kai is 22 at this time. The man has _way too much_ time on his hands, as if having him hang around my sister 24/7 isn't any indication. He has always hanged around Corrine, ever since he met her before they started high school together. He's always there whether you want him to be or not. The 3 of us have kind of been unable to escape from his presence since we moved. When Tyler started college, we had no choice but to move into the area closest to it. The same area Kai lived in. Not only that, but we ended up in the same building, since it was closer to the rec center and where I go to school. Thank god we didn't live on the same floor, otherwise we would have been seeing each other wayyyyyy more than I would have liked to.

Kai was the one who helped Corrine get both of her part time jobs, granted he took both jobs with her. Not only does he work at the flower shop with her, but he's also the other dance instructor at the rec center. He's actually suppose to be the main instructor and Corrine is his co-instructor. I'll admit when it comes to Studio Di, Kai can actually be called a respectable person. When he started working, Studio Di was basically down in the dumps. Then he got Corrine and myself, as well as my friends to pass out flyers and promote the place. We had no idea what he planned to do, but we did as he said and pimped ourselves out for the place. A few days later, we had a mini rally that people showed up to. Most people came because Kai's name was on the flyer, because he preforms in the neighborhood from time to time. That's also why he's so popular. That day, he did preform, with already existing seniors members of Studio D and with myself doing a small cameo, and later on he made this long but pretty cool speech about how he was willing to teach the neighborhood kids dance if they would join the dance team. He influenced just about everyone there, and members started joining immediately. Now we still have those bad apples now and then, but now Studio Di has gone way past being unsuccessful.

Kai "allegedly" claims to us that he wants to help get as many kids off the streets as he can and into the studio and basically put them on a better path for success. Like I said, he claims this "allegedly", but I don't believe him. He just wants to show off for my sister like normal. I think he just wanted another way to score points wit' her, so that one day she'll one day find him likable enough to go out with him. I'm sorry, but I'll never approve. Though I swear, those two together, are like the "best couple" of the neighborhood. They are identified as our area's "relationship goals". I'm serious, everyone here ships them, except my brother and I of course. We already can't stand the guy, do you really think we approve him being in a relationship with our sister. SIKE.

Sure, I don't like the idea of him bossing me around at times, but he's actually a really good instructor. He knows how to dance really well, and can even sing on occasion. If I had a role model talent-wise, it would be him no doubt. But don't tell him though. All he needs to know is that I hate his guts, and he better not even think about getting any closer to my sister than he already is.

Don't let that wannabe kuriboh haired fool, fool you. Seriously, if he was a ghetto anime character, he'd be the abridged Jaden Yuki. He's got the hair and the speech down packed. The hair I have no idea why, but he says he was born with it. Plus he's a Japanese major in college and can actually speak legit Japanese. BUT DON'T FALL FOR IT. AND DEFINITELY DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT FALLING FOR HIM. Kai is just a manipulative mastermind. What ever he does and says is only to add to his goal of one day becoming my sister's boyfriend, no matter how much he denies it.

"Young Master! We're about to go on!" My best friend Trevor, who we call " _Trev"_ , shouts to me from the other side of the backstage area.

"Alright! But quit playin'! Don't break your legs bros!"

"Ayeee Trey!" My other best friend Michael _(Young Mic, to distinguish him from his father)_ , shouts from beside him before they go out, switching places with 2 of the dance team members that were with the rest of the group onstage.

"Trey, my cue comes up in a few lines, then comes yours and then our solo. Are you ready?" The long black-haired girl next to me asked quietly, looking over my all white outfit, complete with a white bed sheet draped over my shoulders like a cape. Ghetto right? "Your outfit looks good by the way."

I gave her a goofy grin, "Of course I am after all the practicing we've been doing together. And thanks, you look as cute as I thought you'd be in your female Ghostbusters uniform."

She blushes, making me blush at her adorableness, "Thanks Treyvon."

Now this, this is Serena. Serena Taylor Blackberry. A name that easily rolls of my tongue when I catch myself daydreaming. Serena is 15 and _8 months pregnant with my child_ , Sike. She's 15 going on 16 years old. She's my diamond in the ruff. I first knew her from my last year at middle school, but we formally started talking in high school. When I started dancing at Studio Di and becoming more popular around my school, she had one day came up to me at lunch while I hanging was with my squad basically told me that I wasn't all that and I should get off my high horse. Of course my group prompted me to show off. Once I did, she became embarrassed, admitted I was good and fled. Later on though, I realize that one of the girls that started flirting with me had dared her to say that stuff in front of my face. I packed on her in return because honestly, I hate bullies. I should have know before, Serena has always been shy and one to keep everything to herself. I apologized to her the day after, we bonded a little over anime, then we got engaged. Sike. We became friends; I started hanging out with her from time to time and she started to open up to me. I convinced her to join Studio Di not much later and after a while she joined. It took her a bit to stop being so nervous and show what she could do, but she got use to it. That's right, I got her out of the manga books and onto the dance floor with _the flick of that wrist_. Hehe. And we've been inseparable partners ever since.

Before y'all get started, no we are not dating. Unlike what you guys thought, I did not have the courage to ask her out on a date. That's right, your boy is...a cat! _(Only the percentage of you guys that have dirty minds get the true meaning of what I just said.)_ But yeah, I have a crush on her, but I haven't asked her out. Yet. I plan to soon.

I looked down at Serena _(Yeah, she's actually an inch smaller)_ as she fixed my wannabe cape that was sliding off of my shoulders. "Serena?"

She stared up at me nervously, "Yes?"

Serena's hands were resting on my chest while she looked up at me with her adorably cute hazel eyes. She was so close, my heart was beating furiously. "Uh...I," I trail off, shoving the words that first came to mind back down my throat with a swallow. Noticing that she was slightly shaking, probably out off nervousness, I hugged her to my chest. "Relax, don't let your nerves get the best of you. I've seen you dance. I know you'll do great." I ignored the fact that I was blushing profusely. I decided to lean in and whisper in her ear, toying with her a bit. "T-There's something I want to ask you. After the competition, that is. Will you hear me out?"

Serena pulled back and smiled at me shyly, "Okay."

Also ignoring the fact that we were at the right length away from each other to kiss, I took a step back and put my hands in my pockets. I smiled confidently, "Cool."

You guys may think because I'm older now, you think I think I'm all that now. But I don't, in all honesty. I may have grown an inch or two in 5 years, I have nothing to be egotistical, let alone vaguely be proud of. Sure, now that I'm in high school I may have a little more base to my voice, have a squad, and maybe have more girls 'approaching' me now that I can dance and I don't correspond with anime very much anymore. That's a separate issue. The point is I've somewhat grown up. Hopefully now my appearance matches my attitude now, a bit. I'm proud of what my family and I have achieved in 5 years, and couldn't be happier where I am. Although still lingering in my mind, there are always questions and doubts. Sometimes being here...doesn't feel right...

" _I Ain't Afraid Of No Ghost!...I Hear It Likes The Girls~_ "

"Serena, that's your cue!"

"Huh!? It is!?" She squealed nervously.

"Yeah girl! Go go go!" I give her a light push as she runs onstage. I fix my suit jacket and straighten the fake mini gold crown that was clipped to my hair. Hey, if you're going to be a ghost king, gotta do yourself up right. Especially when there's a cute Ghostbuster that you want to come for that as~

God I want to smash so bad...

 _*SMACK SMACK*_ _NOT THE TIME, NIALL._

" _Who You Gonna Call? Ghostbusters!_ "

Huuh. Moment of truth man. Leggo!

I peel back the curtains, and run out on my cue.

" _If You've Had A Dose Of A Freaky Ghost, Baby! You Better Call, Ghostbusters!_ "

* * *

 **MPK: Prologue END. Cool? Yeah, starting off a little different here. But things will soon start to get back into the swing, so play along will ya? Hehe, ghostbusters...**


	2. Reality Check

**MPK: Btw, Kai's street name is KAI but its pronounced _K-A-I_ , But I just write in all caps to separate it from his name.**

* * *

 _"Ajnkdnas dndjclc ldnjbvklsn..."_

 _"Jncbdinsindjsmjcn..."_

 _"NncudojdncnuSO~!"_

 _A light skinned white haired man stood over me, chanting words I couldn't understand. His red robe flowing around him. His body glowing the color of the words he spoke, black. Black magic. Stronger than dark magic, black magic was an extremely dangerous forbidden kind of magic that no one in the entire kingdom had dared to study, let alone use. The ancient magic he was using was foreign to me, and I had remembered daring to study black magic a few times even practicing it, just so I could get a sense of how to use it. But that kind of magic, causes great stress on the entire body, mind, heart and soul. It was only a matter of time before even I, someone with unimaginable power and knew how to control it, needed to be saved. That's only an example of how devastating it can be._

 _To think that he would use this kind of magic, even after knowing the long-lasting effects is extremely brazen of him. But to use it on me, that is outrageous. I could only feel weak as I lowered towards the ground,_ _"Why?"_

 _His eyes showed lust and hatred mixed together in one cold and warm-hearted stare. However, it didn't look like it he was in control of himself. His scarred face with conflicted emotions said it all. "I'm sorry. But this is for your own good. You'll finally be free from the Pharaoh's clutches. This way you can finally be happy..."_

 _"What?"_

 _"BcndodjvnlsdjudisKA!" Saying more inaudible words, I could only hear faint whispers from multiple people as the world faded around me, everything growing pitch black. I still heard the Pharaoh cries echoing in my head, but I could see no one or nothing. And I didn't have the strength to respond. I felt all the magic contained within me, seal itself and escape my body. Then all that was left was a hollow wind. And then..._

 _ **CRASH!**_

* * *

"Ah!?" I awake yet again from the sound of glass breaking into pieces. I hold my chest waiting for my heartbeat to calm down. Once it does, I let out a grunt. I feel frustrated as I lay back down on my bed. I've been having the same dream for weeks, each day it growing more vivid and painful. Each time it made me feel like crying. I felt like crying now.

"CeCe? You okay?" I turn over next to me. It's no surprise that laying next to me, is my best friend Kai. I've experienced it before. I look at the sliding glass door that leads to the apartment balcony out the corner of my eye. The door is closed and the knob was in the lock position, but the curtain that hung over it was pushed to the side, revealing the outside view of the area. I always close the curtain before going to bed. I yet again assume that Kai picked the lock after I had gone to sleep, and locked it back after getting inside. All just to sleep next to me. Of course when he does, he always says it's because the neighbors in his apartment next to him are too loud and won't let him sleep. But come on, this happens almost every other day.

I pout poking my lips out, "What are you doing here today, Kai?" I waited for his answer.

Kai has a new excuse everyday.

"Well, you know my neighbors. They fought again, and I couldn't take it. So I got changed and came down here until it was time for our shifts." That part's always the same, but the rest, "I was just gonna come down here and read in your lounge chair until I had to wake you up for work. But since you were lying down so peacefully, you made me want to go back to sleep and come in late. Or at least, until you woke up." Last time we had a day off, so he came up with the excuse that my bed was more comfortable than his. I sighed, "You look stressed out again. What's up?"

For some reason it's always been hard to lie to him, so I always end up just keeping the truth from him, by not telling him anything. I'll say, "It's nothing."

And he'll always respond with, "These tears aren't nothing." Changing the subject in the sentence to fit the situation each time, this time it being tears. Since I almost ended up crying, I had tears in my eyes. He wiped them away for me.

"I'm glad you're here though. I need a friend right now." I lay my head on his chest since he was close enough like usual.

"I can see." I feel his chest go up and down because of his heartbeat. He sighs lightly, making me assume he's making one of those sad looks of his. "You can't tell me today either?"

"...No. Not yet."

"...Then later today then." Kai says hugging me by my shoulders. I look up at him, "You usually just say no and leave the convo there. But today there was hesitation and you said not yet, plus you're willingly letting me hold you like this. Meaning you're finally going to be willing to tell me what's on your mind really soon. You forget, I can read you like a book now. I see our relationship finally leveling up again, CeCe." He smiles. I glare at him but he just playfully strokes my hair with the same expression, unaffected. "Don't get mad, anagram."

"Anagram?"

"Yeah, you're my anagram and I'm your solver. With every puzzle you throw at me, I'll just decode what you're saying by rearranging the letters and words." He taps my nose, "But please, don't go making your puzzles any harder to solve. Ne?" I pout again lightly. Kai removes his hand from my hair and moves it to my cheek. He looks into my eyes as if he was searching for something. "Maybe...today?"

"Hm?" Kai leaned in closer. He was going to kiss me. Kai has tried many times before, but we were always interrupted, or he would tell me the timing wasn't right. I always tended to ignore the fact that Kai liked me before, because I didn't see him like that and when he confessed, he really didn't seem serious about it. But lately, Kai's become extremely protective over me almost like Tyler or Treyvon. His expressions toward me when we are alone now are more serious than usual. I think now, Kai is truly trying to get me to fall for him.

I close my eyes and wait. Kai could have any girl he wanted with his overall charm, but out of everyone he chose to pursue me. And I'll admit, I can't think of anything about Kai that's really not to like. So why? Why not?

 ** _"If I had my own heart, I'm sure it be breaking right now."_**

My eyes snapped open a few seconds before our lips could touch. I cringe before he could get any closer. _'No! Someone please stop this!'_

My blue diamond shaped necklace started to glow for the first time in years. Kai stared at it confused. "...Corrine?"

Suddenly my bedroom door slammed open, "How did I know you were already in here?" Tyler asked himself in a calm but sharp tone. "Look, it's too early in the morning for this. So would you just save me the trouble this one time and kick yourself out? Now!"

"Oh my gosh, Ty. I get a choice!?" Tyler's face became hard and Kai jumped up from the bed. "Say no more! Say no more! I'm on my way." He turned back to me before he went through the threshold, "Our shift starts in 20 CeCe." And with that, Kai was personally escorted out by Tyler, who also had to head out, in order to get to college on time. I laid on my back and let out a huge sigh. _'That was too close.'_

"Nee-chan? Are you alright?" I grimace at the nickname and don't respond. Treyvon stood at the door way with his wash rag in his hands washing his face. My eyes flick to the clock and realize it was almost time for him to be heading to school as well. That also meant I was about to make Kai late for work. I made myself get up from my bed and start undressing.

"Can you get out? I have to change for work."

Treyvon grimaced at my cold words. "Why do I need to leave? I've seen you naked before~" I get up and slam the door in his face. "Oh come on! You can't still be mad! It was an accident! We all live here! It was bound to happen!" I ignored him while I continued to undress. I heard him lean against the door, "Damn. I was only asking if you were okay. I heard that idiot's mouth while I was in my bedroom again. He comes by too frequently. Why do you let him in here this early? You see him too often as it is."

"What have I told you about not calling Kai by his name? You would think since he is your dance instructor that you would show at least some respect for the guy."

"And I do, when we're at practice. Outside the studio is different." Honestly, he's starting to sound like his little high school friends. "Inside the studio, he's a respectable man. Outside, he's just another resident street rat trying to get into your underwear."

I have one arm in my jacket when I yell at him, "Treyvon!"

"Corrine!" I slip my other arm in and open the door. Treyvon falls backward and then glares at me angrily. "Honestly. I can't believe I'm the 16 year old, and you're the 19 year old. You're the adult. You're suppose to be way more responsible and wiser than me. But it seems like I have more common sense than you these days. I've even learned to speak proper English unlike before, but you don't seem to care what comes out of _your_ mouth." I glared down at him. Treyvon sat up, "I'm only saying the truth. I've known you long enough to understand these things, and that's something you're just going to have to accept. And even if you won't let me call you my sister anymore, as long as you're living with us I'm still going to treat you as if you are. It's just like mom said, she and dad loved you as if you were really their own child. You will always be her daughter in her heart and welcome into our family."

"I am _not_ a part of your family."

"You're not understanding me. I'm saying you don't have to be."

"I am _not_ and I will _never_ be."

Treyvon stood next to me glared right up into my eyes, "You were before."

"It was all a lie. Get over it."

"What's happened to you? Who even are you?! I don't even know anymore." Treyvon says lowly, sounding like he was about to cry.

" _I_ am fine. I've just accepted that this life we're living is real. I'm not bingeing cartoons every time I get a chance anymore. Unlike you, I've started living in reality again."

Treyvon had a somber expression on his face when he went to the living room to grab his book bag, "Anime aren't cartoons and you know it. And I know, you don't believe this is reality for us. Even mom confirmed it. So why are you pretending that~!"

"It was a dream. A dream, Treyvon." I say to him. That's when it he really gets mad at me.

"A dream?! That we both experienced at the same time!? You know that doesn't even make sense!" Treyvon shouts at me, "If it's just a dream, where did you get that ring from!?" He gestures to the object on my ring finger, an embroider ruby ring. I froze for a second. "Mom never brought anything that expensive looking. I know you didn't have it before the trip to Yugioh and I certainly know Kai didn't buy it for you. So where'd it come from Corrine? Huh!?" I close my eyes and rip the ring off of my finger. "Corrine! Really?" I went back inside of my room and laid it on my dresser.

When I walked back, I picked the boy up by his collar. "You listen here. You said yourself, you're 16 years old and have common sense right? Start acting like it then! It's time for you to start realizing that anything that happened in that anime wasn't real! You are in high school now Treyvon! If this continues, people are going to start distancing themselves from you because you're a weirdo. Do you want that Treyvon? Huh? Hey, here's a question. Have you ever told anyone else about our little adventure? Your friends? Tyler? Why not? It's not just a dream right? I'm sure with a little proof they'll believe you, better yet, they should just believe you right?"

"You know they wouldn't believe me..." Treyvon croaked out.

"Exactly. Now you're understanding. Now this is the last time I'm going to hear you speak anything to me about anime, about us being family and about Kai. Your mom was sick and delusional when she was dying, she had no idea what she was talking about. We aren't blood related, so I'm not your sibling, Tyler is. And I won't have you say another bad thing about Kai! Kai has done nothing but help us since your mother's death, helping us get a decent apartment, helping me get a job, helping down at the community center with Studio Di, and even helping tutor you correct? You should be thankful that Kai is as kind as he is, and be extremely grateful to him. He may be the reason you're not in foster care right now." I let him go. He angrily fixes his shirt. I ignore him as he wipes the tears that had began streaming down his face. I was surprised he had not started crying and hollering.

He slings the strap of his book bag on his shoulder. "God...I hate you! I hate you so much Corrine! Go to hell!" Treyvon shouts at me before running out the apartment.

I sigh at my latest actions. I frown at my last few words. I said too much, I did too much again. He has a right to be angry at me right now. I wonder when, I became this cold-hearted?

I grab my purse and walk out the apartment, not putting the ring back on my finger. Kai met me a couple of doors down, "CeCe, what happened to Trey? I just saw him bolting pass me, and down the apartment building staircase crying." He looked at me, "Hey, what's wrong? Don't tell me you two fought, again?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I tell Kai, "Come on. We're late for our shift at the shop." Kai grimaces, but follows me down the hall to the elevator.

* * *

It had been 4 weeks since I, Corrine Casterwill, or should I even call myself that...and my so-called-little-brother Treyvon Casterwill had that crazy dream about us being in the Yugioh Universe. I'll admit some crazy things happened, but since returning to our own world and the passing away of the woman I had called my mother, Rehema Casterwill, I been led to believe that everything that Treyvon and I had experienced, was only a dream. I had to, for the sake of my sanity, and the sake of my future. If Treyvon knew what was good for him, he'd try and do the same.

Sure, there was a lot of facts that made it seem like what we experienced for that short amount of time was real, but there are facts that can't be confirmed either. I just, believe it's stupid to chase after an unrealistic dream with no context. What Treyvon wants is all fantasy, and it's because of him watching anime. Anime gave him this idea about the fantasy lifestyle he wants to be true, and now he's corrupted. I will not allow myself to be as well. I'm living in the real reality, so I'm going to make the best of it. Why Corrine? Why are you like this now you ask? Honestly, I don't know either. But if I had to place the blame on something, it be DISAPPOINTMENT. And this damn necklace, is the reason for that.

After coming back through the portal, I awoke looking at the sky, from the ground of the alleyway I had gotten beat up in. Treyvon stood over me, already awake himself, telling me that we had to go. On the ground beside me, my iPad I had tried to protect, was cracked. I didn't really had time to process anything, because Treyvon and I had to hurry to the high school I attended at the time, where Tyler was waiting to take us to the hospital. Rehema was in critical condition, so she became the main priority. All other thoughts about anything else flew out of the window. And I guess, they never really returned to me. Well, they kind of did at some point. When Rehema died, I felt something within me, just break. Ever since she told me I was basically adopted my mind's been in a daze, a trance. My mind hasn't been pretty clear at all for years, and if it wasn't for Kai, I'd probably would have done a few things I would have never done.

Things were tough since that day. At some point though, I did start to really question Rehema's words. If what she had said was true, then it would explain everything that Treyvon and I had just experienced. What made me check out her story, was the ruby ring. It was the ring Yami gave me before I left his world. It was still on my hand after returning, but I hadn't noticed for a while. I started thinking, that it was a hint, a hint that we could one day return to that place, to escape and get away and at the time we all needed that at that moment. So, I started doing what Rehema wanted me to do. I tried getting us back there.

I didn't believe everything she had told me. I still had my doubts, but wouldn't you? Say you were living a life that had become normal to you, and then life throws you a curve and poof! You are in a place completely different from your normal life, but is suitable to your desires and dreams. That's when you're told that this world that you are in now is your real home, and the life you been living until now is fake and a lie. Would you believe it right away? I bet most of you would answer yes to this, I wonder if some of you would actually start thinking logically. Explain to yourself, that this world I'm in, is just a fantasy, it's not real. I have a life in the real world, and a family waiting for me on the other side. I could never just leave them forever. Alice thought this, Dorthy thought this, even Kirito...all though his situation was a little different, he was force to do so, his life was on the line...WHY AM I BRINGING ANIME INTO THIS?!

Look, I said all that to say that I just wasn't sure what the truth was. But for Rehema's sake, God have mercy on her soul, I wanted to get to the bottom of this. If I could help her and do what she wanted, hopefully she'd be grateful beyond the grave. Since my iPad was broken, the only thing I had that connected me with that dream, was the blue diamond-shaped necklace that Rashidi left for me when he passed unexpectedly. I kept gazing at it, trying to figure out what to do, but nothing ever came to me. The only thing I could do, was try wishing on it like I did before, but I had no idea how to form such a wish. What was I even wishing for? I tried ever reasonable combination of words I could think of, even reciting what Rehema had told me. But in the end, nothing worked. In fact, the necklace didn't even respond to me. It became a dull regular piece of jewelry, and only made me feel dumb trying to think that it was something more.

After a few weeks of trying every now and then, I eventually gave up. That's probably when I started believing every thing I was told was a lie. For the next 5 years, I started to act like Tyler, who still doesn't know anything about the situation, and consider everything as only nonsense. I began returning to my life here, where anime is just for entertainment. Treyvon however, toned down his imagination, but didn't believe in just forgetting about. And now, the two of us don't get along.

* * *

" _Good morning, Mrs. Winters!_ "

"Kai! Corrine! Thank goodness you're on time!"

"Can't dis old woman getta decent clock? We're 10 minutes late~"

"Shh! Be nice, Corrine! Take it as a blessing!" Kai whispers before entering the store in front of me. He ruffles my hair, "And no ghetto language in front of Mrs.W, remember?" I grimaced, "How are you doing today!?"

"Oh Lord, sweetie I love you to death," Mrs. Winters starts to say, hugging Kai. "But could you not be so loud this early in the morning?"

"Sorry. Just trying to stay jovial you know?" I smile at how close they are, even though they aren't blood related. Thinking this, I frown.

She pats his cheek, "I know dear. I'm really busy today, so I'm in a hurry. Watch the shop for me okay?" She says getting ready to leave.

The shop she is referring to is a flower and gift shop down the street from our apartment complex, _Ella's Flowers and Gifts (Mrs. Winters' first name is Ella)_. The owner of the shop, is one of Kai's neighbors, the quieter one he says. Ever since moving in next door, Kai says she's been like a mother to him, and he likes to give her the best possible treatment. Before working here, I hadn't known there was still a business that runs like this in the neighborhood. Since she knew Kai, Mrs. Winters wanted him to be an employee when she first opened it, and Kai always looking out for me, ask her if I could be one as well. She didn't like me at first, because I stuck by Kai a lot, or rather he stuck by me. He was like a son to her, so that was understandable, but eventually she grew to care for me as well. We're not the only ones who work here, but the only ones who work in the morning, besides herself. Sometimes the afternoon/nighttime employees come in during our time and help out but we don't see them often.

Besides her owning this place, she's really just the average old woman. If there was a flaw in her background, it be two things. One, the fact that she is an easy target for robbers in this area, and she gets targeted every now and then so, Kai and I do our best to protect her. And two, the fact that she gave birth to a disease. To be explained.

"Hold on, wait wait wait!" Kai stops her, "Where are you heading this early?"

"To the bank. It just opened." Kai and I make a face immediately, "I have to go make a deposit. The cash registers where both full, babbeh."

"You? Running to the bank? Alone. Not good." I say.

Kai puts his bag down, "Okay hand it over, I'll do it for you."

"I can't trust you with this much money, Kai!" When Kai looks offended, she rephrases her words. "I mean I can do it! I'll be fine~!" When Kai gives her a look, that says _'Yeah right'_ , she completely falters. "Okay fine! But please be quick about it!"

"Oh come oooon! It's meeee." Kai mutters walking towards the door.

"Kai, I know you're one to hold your own out there on the streets. I've witnessed it a few times. But what if you get caught in a bank robbery! What if a group comes up on you on your way and gangs up on you~"

"Oh come oooon! It's meeee." Kai shuts the door behind him without another word and sprints down the street with the satchel of bills across his shoulder.

Mrs. Winters sighs, "I swear, that boy is always running head first into danger, and with a smile on his face at that! Kai is just...is just~!"

"A very kind and considerate individual." I finish for her putting my apron on. I walk behind the counter and start my time at the register.

"Fine! Corrine, I'm running next store to grab some more labels from Miss Margret. Please do try to look alive dear, you're scaring potential customers away from the store with that face."

"Ah." I lightly answer not really hearing her. She leaves.

"Today's so slow." I thought aloud leaning on the counter. I fold my arms and but my head in between them, "Oh man, I'm so tired."

I start to let the sleepiness take over me when a customer comes in, "Excuse me, miss? Miss?" I blink out of my daydreaming state and look up.

I stood up frantically, "I'm so sorry! Already I'm being rude this morning."

"It's fine Miss Corrine. What's goin' on?" The customer is a dark skin male, about 20 or so.

"How are you today?" I say as formal as possible, "Do I know you? Or rather...seen you?"

"No!" He quickly denies, "I'm just your average customer!"

"What can I do for you today sir?" I ask skeptically. He seems delighted at how formal I'm being.

"I want to by flowers fo' a girl I know. Ya know anything nice?"

"Oh you gotta girl! How cute!"

The man blushes, "It's not like dat! I know her but I never said anything to 'er!"

"Even better a confession!" I say, "Hmm, lemme think. If you want my opinion, I say a simple rose would do."

"The roses are too expensive."

"But I said one rose."

"I don't have the cash right now. I wanted to do this on the spur." He rubs the back of his neck.

I raise an eyebrow, "Just how much are you carryin'?"

He hesitates, "$5."

I muffle a laugh, "You broke son." He looks depressed, "You seem sincere though. For a single tulip it's 10, but I'll take your 5 and give ya that. Don't tell my boss, 'kay?"

"Thanks!" He gives me the money and I put it in the register. He starts to leave, "Wait! Your flower!"

"Oh." He turns back to the counter. "It's yours."

"...What?"

"It's yours, baby. Just let me know when you want my number to go with it." My eyes want to roll to the back of my head.

"A tulip? If you bought a tulip, you either really desperate or one cheap azz negra. You expect to win a girl like that? A damn shame!" I hadn't even notice Kai returned.

"Ah Shiz! KAI!"

Kai stands in front the male and claps his hands together, "BOI! If you don't stop with your New Edition, wannabe young Bobby Brown head azz! GTFO!" I try to hide a laugh. The male starts to say something, "I'm sorry, you had a comeback? Let's hear it."

"Boi if you~" He frowns, "Dammit KAI! You always steppin' onna brotha!"

"Only on the brothas that try to 'holla' at my lady. You know what I'm sayin'?" The male respectfully gives Kai a ghetto handshake.

"Whateva man. I'll keep my place, this time."

Kai whispers to the male with a cruel smile, "Get the hell outta my workplace." The male takes his money back. He pushes Kai before rushing out of the store.

Kai runs to the door, "Ey yo! If I see you again, my words won't be the only thing steppin' on you brotha! Betta believe that!" He comes back inside, "Thank goodness, Mrs. Winters always seems to be away when I have to get my ghetto on."

I laugh, "Friend of yours?"

"Ex."

"Ex-boyfriend!?" Kai walks over a flicks me in the forehead, "Oww~"

"Ex-friend _dummy_. Since he hit on ya." He says ghetto-like. Kai quickly kisses my forehead before I can react, "Gomen." I blink when he winks lightly, "Honestly, what was he thinking, trying to slide into your DMs using an old trick like that? People runnin' outta ideas! Luckily, it's easy for others to bounce off boys like that." He picks up the tulip, "A tulip?"

"It was the only thing he could afford. He had $5."

"But the tulips are 10 a piece, without a bouquet." I look to the side, "Ooooh! CeCe! I'm tellin'!"

"Oh come on! Don't tell me you haven't done that before!"

"CeCe, this is a flower and gift shop. Common sense is to bring at least $10! Broker than that, I send 'em packin'!" Kai says slipping into his slang voice again. I grimace, and he pulls out his wallet. "But it's okay. I got it."

"Wait Kai we can just put it back! She isn't here."

"You know she notices changes in her arrangements. And besides, I'm buying it purposefully." Kai says, when I put $10 in the register.

"But why?" He stares at me twirling the tulip close to his face. "What?"

"Since, you work at a flower shop, I assume you do know the language of the flowers."

"Language of the flowers?"

"Hanakotoba."

"Hanakotoba?" I grew confused.

"Come here." I came from behind the counter. "Surely you knew, that the rose isn't the only flower good for making a confession. In the language of the flowers, tulips can symbolize different types of love. And red's suppose to be the most suitable color to inform you like something or someone. _A red tulip_ like this for example, could be used as a confession or declaration of love." With sears, he cuts a portion of the stem off, fiddling with the edges. "In other words, a red tulip can be just as effective as a red rose."

"Wow. So you're buying it to confess to someone?" He nods. "But wh~"

"I like you, Corrine." He kisses me on the cheek while placing the flower in my hair.

* * *

A few hours later, business starts to boom a bit and then gets slow again. I still wear the red tulip Kai placed in my hair, while I arrange a few bouquets and daydream. This was the 3rd time today that he has attempted to kiss me. I can't help but remember as I look at him manning the cash register. Kai flirts with me so easily, I can only blush at his words now. This has gone on for years, but it has never affected me before like it has now.

"Corrine! Stop daydreaming and cut those flowers properly girl! Don't chop the heads of the poor things!" She walks over to Kai, "Do you think I should make all my employees wear flowers like Corrine?"

Kai smiles, "I think that would be nice. But you gotta be mindful of allergies."

"Ah! You're right. But if that's the case they shouldn't work here!"

"True."

"We'll talk about this later. I'm going next store again!" She shouts at us and leaves. Kai looks over at me and I blush and turn away. Honestly! Why now!?

Suddenly, Mrs. Winters' daughter Samantha walks into the store. "Hey Kai! Hello Corrine."

"Welcome to Ella's Flowers and Gifts." I say bluntly making her huff.

"Corrine she's not a customer!" Kai whispers to me. I hadn't noticed he had moved closer to me. This boy is hella sneaky.

"Then why she here?"

"Be nice! She's the owner's daughter!"

"Excuse my rudeness." I say louder for Samantha to hear. "Welcome to Ella's Flowers and Gifts, _Samantha_." She huffs some more. Kai slaps a hand on his forehead.

"Yo Sam." Kai calls everyone by their street name. "What's up?" I can barely greet her azz before she turns all her attention to Kai. I grimace. Remember the disease from earlier? Here she _isssss_!

"Nothing really." She blushes all shy-like, "I just wanted to bring over this pastry to you today. I baked it just for you!" Her blushing face like ^-^, as she extends it out for him to receive. I wanted to hurl.

I made a gesture behind her back, sticking my finger slightly in my opened mouth. Kai saw the gesture and waved me off, basically telling me he was paying me no mind. He smiled at Samantha, "What flavor is it this time?"

"Guess!" Sam puts up to his mouth. Kai willingly takes a bite and I cringe for multiple reasons. "Well? How is it!?"

"Un crepe de pomme? Am I right?" Kai's face is unreadable. His poker faces are were always on point when needed.

"You did! Amazing as always Kai." She says dreamily. I wonder closer to the trash can.

Kai smiles, "What made you make this flavor?"

"I wanted to try more fruit in the pastries, because you said the crepe de banane had gotten better." She smiles in satisfaction.

"I see." Kai's words became limited. Seeing that he was clearly in pain, I came to his rescue.

"Hey Sam~"

"My name is Samantha, Corrine." I step back resisting the urge to slap a hand on my chest and look around. The heck was she talking too? With that raised tone of voice?

"Excuse me, Samantha." I almost roll my eyes, "You always bring over desserts to the shop, but they're all for Kai, what about me and your mom?"

"For your information, my mom gets to taste most of my desserts at home!" Sam says angrily but then calms herself remembering she's in front of her crush. "And I did make you something today actually. You're so impatient, I had no idea you liked my baking that much." I suppress the urge to have a seizure. "Here you are."

"What the heck are these?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Sugar cookies! Duh! Honestly Corrine, you need to cook more. You can't even recognize simple sweets!" I ignored her and continued staring at the Ziploc bag containing multiple round pieces of flat dough. Since when did sugar cookies have brown powder on them? I smelled it, "Eh? No way. Paprika!?"

That's why Kai chose to swoop in, "Sam, it's 12:30." He had a napkin in his hand, probably from wiping his mouth after secretly spitting in the trash can.

"Ah crap! I gotta go. I'll be bye tomorrow. See you later Kai!" With thought even giving me a farewell, she left. As soon as she did, Kai slammed the tip of a Dasani into his mouth.

"Since when did apples taste so salty!?" Kai cried lifting his head from the water bottle.

"I knew there was something wrong, you spit it in the trash can this time. You usually swallow it out of courtesy."

"I just couldn't do it!" Kai was in tears, "Who teaches that girl to cook!?"

"You know she takes culinary at the community college. But I highly doubt that her teachers tell her to try making half of the stuff she brings in here..." I trail off rubbing Kai's back. "Jeez, things get worse by the day. Today, I think I threw up a little."

He wipes his tears, "That's what happens when you put a finger too far in your mouth. All to prove a point." Kai shakes his head in disapproval, "Water?" I take the bottled water he had just had and drunk some of its contents without a second thought. He grabbed the cookies from me and stared at them. "At least she was nice enough to make you something too." I grab the Ziploc bag and hurl it into the trash can. "Hey! You didn't even know how it tasted! Sam's never messed up cookies."

"Then she must have found a way." I tell him. He looked at me confused, "Kai, every time Samantha brings me something there's always something wrong with the contents. But since she's in culinary, she's learned how to dress it up and make it look pretty. She does it on purpose!" I fold my arms, "Trust me, the only thing that she even tries hard to make is the desserts she make for you. And that says something about her baking. She nuthin' but a con!"

Kai raises an eyebrow, "Oh? Do I hear _jealousy_ CeCe?"

"I'm not jealous of a no good b**** like her!" I say quickly.

"First of all, watch your language sweetie, we're all respectable people in here." He pops his collar. I frown, "And second, your red cheeks aren't fooling anyone." Kai pinches my cheeks smiling, "Now come on, it's just about the end of shift. I wanna go by some ice cream~"

"Kai, I haven't seen an ice cream truck in this place in weeks." I tell him, "Remember when some of the neighborhood kids egged the truck? He probably won't come back to this area..."

"I meant from the convenience store CeCe. I want a several packs, not a single cone."

"A several packs?"

Kai shakes his head, "Yes CeCe! You know if our assets walk up into Studio Di with some ice cream, everyone's gonna want some. We'll just buy a lot and store it in the rec center freezer till the kids get there later on." Kai puts his apron on the hook, "So let's go! We've gotta feed our children Corrine!"

* * *

It's not long after before a bunch of children crowd into Studio Di, kids as young as second grade, to as old as seniors in high school. Most of the high school seniors have been around since Studio Di opened, so about when they were in their last year of elementary school. For them, it's their last day on this team, since the team doesn't take anyone over 18. So today, there's not going to be a practice. This is only a small meeting we're having about the party we're holding for them tonight.

When everyone's gathered inside, Kai crossed his legs in a folding chair placed at the front of the room. I sit next to him in another folding chair. "Alright! I call this session to order! Greet your senpais, thy loyal kohai!"

The kids chant, "Kobanwa senpai-tachi! All hail, King KAI! All hail, Queen CeCe!"

"Why do you all have to make them do that?" I whisper to Kai.

"To be honest, shizs and giggles." Kai tells me, and I bury my face in my hand. "Good Good! I love it when my children respect me!"

"We are the loyal children of King KAI and Queen CeCe!"

"May you both rein in harmony! Forever!"

"Okay guys, can we stop seriously?" I tell them all, "We're starting to sound like a cult..." A few of the girls in the group agreed with me. The only kids that even participate are really the younger ones.

"Of course my dear, whatever my queen wants." I glare at Kai, "Alright! I'm stopping!" He stands up facing the group. "How is everyone doing today!?"

"We're cool. Cool like normal." A male senior, Kyle answers. Honestly, he's like Kai's second in command. "Can you just get on with it? We need time to go home and prepare~!"

A female senior, Jazmine, elbowed him in the rib cage. "Kyle~! Why would we prepare for a party that's for us!?" She said through gritted teeth, Kyle paled. I became confused by her words, however Kai looked like he knew what was up. She's hiding something.

"You're right, you're right. I'll make this quick." Kai says. But when it looks like he's about to get serious, he tells the kids, "We bought ice cream."

"OMG WHERE SENPAI!?"

"Ky Ky and Jazzy will distribute, just keep calm..."

"All hail senpai! All hail senpai!" Kai smiles in satisfaction. Kyle and Jazmine looks like they want to strangle him.

"What are you looking at? Hop to it." They grudging find the boxes of Drumsticks we bought for them and started handing them out. Kai continued, "Alright. As you know, today is a very sad, sad day..."

"How's it sad!?"

"They're moving on to bigger and better things!"

"We aren't suppose to get sad! We're suppose to celebrate!"

Kai pretends to cry, "Gosh, I taught you all so well!" He wipes his fake tears. "This Saturday, which is today, at this moment in time, marks our Seniors last day at Studio Di!" The group get silent, "Thanks to them, we've won a lot of local and national competitions, including the one yesterday. Now they're passing on the torch, and going to...college...AHHHHHH!" Kai fake cries some more, clinging to Kyle. "KY KY! JAZZY! YOU GUYS DON'T LEAVE ME! I WON'T MAKE IT WITHOUT YOU!" He shouts burying his face in Kyle's shirt. Kyle grimaces, but still gives out the ice cream cones ignoring his antics.

Jazmine beats Kai's head with an empty Drumstick box, "Would you cut it out and finish already!? You don't have time for this!"

"Okay! You don't have to shout at me!" He lets go of Kyle, "Look, I won't speak too much more. I am happy for you all, my seniors. For every single one of you to make it into a college, I cannot be proud enough. I'm proud, everyone here is proud of you." He looks genuinely happy as he smiles. The kids clap and holler. "As you go and move on from here, I want you to remember where you came from. Then I want you to remember this place, and think about where you are now. You've come very far, ladies and gents, and you'll go further."

"Aw, KAI!"

"You're bringing tears to our eyes."

"Watcha' tryin' to do?! Gettin' us all worked up!"

"Sorry. But I meant everything that I said just now. I had to let y'all know. Gotta send y'all off properly!" He lets out a big smile. "Clap it up one more time for your seniors!" The kids clap, chant and holler again. "I'm surprised none of you seniors wanted to challenge me for my spot as king. But I'm fine with that. Still! We must celebrate your success! See you all at the party tonight! TAKE YOUR ICE CREAM WITH YOOOOOOOOOU!" He shouts almost like the meme.

"Hold up KAI-senpai!"

"We ask to hold the audience! KAI!

"KAI-dono! Today we challenge thee!" Treyvon and his sophomore friends appear at the front of the children.

"What's this? You're declaring an attack on your king? On your seniors' last day?!" Kai looks surprised, "I'm shocked. What a bold move."

"As is what to expect of me, Kai." Treyvon steps in front of them. "Today we'll take you down once and for all! Michael, Kyrie, Trevor, Leonardo and I!"

"Is that so? Well then Young Mic, Lil' Ri Ri, Trev, Leo, Trey. I accept your challenge." Kai says approaching them. "Jazzy, Ky Ky, Niles, and AJ will dance with me, are you okay with that?"

"Of course."

"Alrighty then, challengers before champions. You know the rules. Youngins vs Oldies! Hehe." Everyone except Treyvon's group backs up out of the way. A Studio Di group dance off was about to take place.

"Alright everyone! Let's go!"

* * *

 **MPK: Chapter 2, done. Don't worry guys! This is still a Yugioh fanfic! I just got one more chapter of introduction to do. You have to see how it all ties in!**


	3. Wake Up Call

**Narrator's POV**

"Treyvon. Get up, it's time to head out. Treyvon?" The young male spread out on the couch is too occupied with his PS vita to hear his older brother. He was ignoring him anyway, turning the volume up in order to play the music from the game higher in his earbuds. "Treyvon? I know you hear me!" Just hearing the tone of his voice, makes him turn the volume higher. That's when Tyler rips the cords out of his ears.

"Eh yo! What do you think you're doing Lindo!?"

"Treyvon, I've had about enough of you!" Tyler says snatching the hand-held device. "First of all, I told you more than once that my name isn't Lindo, it's Tyler~!"

"Mom named you Lindo. Your real name is Lindo. I'm calling you Lindo." Tyler frowns at his younger determined tone. He knew that Treyvon was still coping from their mother's death, and felt as that was the reason he was taking her last words so seriously, whether they were true or not. He figured that Treyvon's mind set probably wouldn't change about that for a while, so after another attempt of trying to get him to do so ending in vain, he chose to leave the topic alone.

Tyler sighed, "What's going on with you all of a sudden? There's obviously something wrong if you're ignoring me, and avoiding your sister."

"She's not my sister." Treyvon looked to the side with dead eyes, "Or had you not heard?"

"When did you start believing this!? You've never said that before!"

"When she set me straight." Tyler looked surprised, "That girl in the back room is not my sister, not my friend either. She's just a good for nothing freeloader."

"Trey, don't talk about Corrine like that. She's just as shaken as the both of us are about mom's death."

"She's just shaken? It's been 5 years! Isn't that all she is? She has no reason to act like that towards us!"

Tyler wanted to stop Treyvon from saying anymore, but he didn't know what he could say that could shut him down. In the years that had gone by, it had become hard for Tyler to keep control over his younger brother and his mouth. Not only was Treyvon a teenager now, but his "mostly" matured mind finally matched his age even though his body still didn't. And the boy had always been extremely smart. Tyler didn't want to admit it but, sometimes Treyvon sounded more like an adult than he did. Trey's words were always brutally honest and truthful. And everything that Treyvon had said was completely true. He wasn't wrong even in the slightest.

Treyvon stood up, looking at Tyler in the eye as he spoke, "If she's not related to us and doesn't like or care about us, why is she still here? Because she needs us to survive in this world, that's why. Without us, she'd actually be lost and alone just like I know she feels. But every time we try to tell her that we understand how she feels, that we want her to open up to us, she just coldheartedly pushes us away and shuns herself from everything! It's so damn frustrating!" Treyvon grits his teeth, then frowns, eyes growing dull. "The only reason she's still living with us in this crappy apartment is because you're to goodhearted to throw her cold azz out on to the street. It's beyond me why you still put up with her mess. She's so immature. Ungrateful a~"

"Treyvon, watch your mouth!" There's a sudden knock. Treyvon starts to go towards to door. "Wait Treyvon, I'm not done talking to you! If it's Kai at the door, he can wait."

"If it's Kai then I should just let him in. He seems to have more authority in this broken azz family than you do." Tyler swallows his next words as Treyvon ends the conversation. His last sentence stings. Tyler goes into the back and tries talking to Corrine. Treyvon opens the entrance door to the apartment and looks down both ends of the hall. "What the? Where is he?"

"Corrine." Tyler says as he approaches the open door to her bedroom, "I know you heard everything. She set me straight? What's that about?" Corrine's bangs cast a shadow over her already grim expression. She doesn't answer. "Fine, you don't have to answer that. I probably don't want to know anyway. Although I hope you weren't harsh with him as I assume." Tyler leans against the door frame sighing. "But Corrine please, whatever you told him. Please apologize." Corrine frowns, "Look, the boy has more common sense then the both of us. As his words, especially when provoked, they run deep and are meaningful. But they also hold more truth than anything. Growing up, now without _both_ his parents, it's making him taking life more seriously. Even though he's using Studio Di and anime as coping mechanism, I know he's still hurting. You continue to ignore him like this, it's going to affect him hard in the future I know it. And I, don't know how to handle him anymore...it's hard doing this on my own..." Tyler looks to Corrine sadly, "Besides, his birthday was just yesterday. He shouldn't have to spend it unhappy. Looking so...lifeless." Tyler said it almost like it was a question.

"...He's your brother. _You_ should know how to handle him." Tyler could only stare at the her, "He's your problem not mine."

 _ **KNOCK KNOCK**_

"Ugh. Treyvon! I thought you got the door, Tyler shouted down the hall.

"I did! But no one was there!" Treyvon said walking over to them. He exchanged glances with Corrine, both turning away in disgust.

"Honestly, what caused you to start fighting like this? You guys used to be closer than anyone I've ever known. Even close than Trey and me. I feel like I'm missing something. What is it?" Treyvon crossed his arms, Corrine doing so as well. Tyler frowned, "Maybe we truly are, a broken family..."

"Huts boken?" Kai asked standing next to Tyler. Tyler had violent shivers while Treyvon shrieked.

"KAI WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THERE!?"

"How the heck did you get in here, Kai-senpai?!"

"Hmm?" Kai unlodged the honey bun he had just snagged from their kitchen out of his mouth. "What do you mean? I was let in."

"But there was no one at the door."

He sat next to Corrine on the bed, "Door? I was at the balcony."

"Wait, balcon~" Corrine looked to the side, "Corrine! How many times do I have tell you to keep the balcony door shut? Anyone could get in here!"

"We're on the 7th floor. The only person crazy enough to scale the building this high in this neighborhood is Kai and you know it."

Kai takes another bite and swallows, "Well me and any spies or secret agents chasing someone in the slums, but let's not give him anymore reasons." He wipes his mouth with a napkin which he also grabbed from the kitchen. "You look nice by the way." He says directing his attention at Corrine, making her blush unexpectedly. This make Kai smile genuinely at her. Treyvon makes a "Tch" noise at the scene.

"Whoa! Am I detectin' attitude, Shining Star!?" Kai asks almost triggered, surprising Trey. "Did you wake up on the floor or somethin'!?"

"We could have beaten you this afternoon if we wanted to! But we just wanted to give the seniors a nice performance!" Treyvon says, ignoring his question. He points at him, "So don't go D-rating us because we lost to you and your team again, got it!?" Kai's eyes widened slightly.

He smiled, "Gotcha. I hear ya, Treyvon."

Treyvon's taken aback by Kai calling him by his full name, but takes it as a sign of respect. "Okay then, good."

There's a small uncomfortable silence before Kai speaks again. He stands up stretching, "Soooo, everyone ready to go? The seniors are waiting!" He shouts normally like he doesn't notice the awkwardness in the room.

"Yea~"

"Yeah." Treyvon says cutting off Corrine, "I think I'll head out to the car first." He grabs his phone off the table and runs out the front door.

Tyler frowns, "He's probably taking the stairs again. I'm going to follow him." Tyler starts to leave out, but turns back, "Don't you dare take long coming down."

"Don't worry Big Brother Ty, I promise we won't make out without telling you." Tyler glares daggers, before leaving out as well. Corrine grabs her purse before starting towards the door. "Jeez! Your older brother is scary! Where did he learn to make expressions like that!?" When they are both outside the apartment Corrine locks the door with a key. "He's like a character from a horror film. I swear I saw him in _Get Out_ last week!"

"He's not my brother." Corrine mutters getting to the elevator and pressing the down button. Kai raises an eyebrow at her tone. She not laughing at his corny joke, alerted him that something was wrong. The elevator door opens. They both get in and the door closes. Corrine looks at the barely working button panel, "I keep forgetting, does the ground floor or the 1st floor lead to the lobby~"

"Ahhhhhh. The lady is upset." Kai falls backward into the wall of the button panel, before she can push a button. The elevator is at a standstill. "It's definitely about you and Treyvon, so spill it." Corrine ignores him trying to reach around for the right button. Kai grabs her wrist, "If I'm standing right in front of it, I'm blocking it on purpose you know."

Corrine blushes, "Kai...I-I can't reach the button..."

"I won't let ya leave til you tell me what's wrong." Kai says firmly, "And ya know me. I'll hold you captive like this in this elevator forever. And I won't let go even for the people getting on."

Corrine swallows at Kai's persistence, "I...I yelled at Treyvon...and we fought."

Kai releases her hand for a second and reaches behind him to press the button for the 1st floor, "And?"

"And...now he hates me, a lot more than before."

"What was your fight about?" At Corrine's reluctantness, Kai presses the button for the 4th floor as well. He repeats himself, bending down slightly and getting in her face. "What was your fight about, Corrine?"

One of Kai's bangs fell on her forehead, "Kai..."

"It's okay. Just tell me." All hints of Kai's ghetto accent disappeared from his voice. The elevator doors open.

"This is the wrong floor, this is floor fou~" Kai grimaces and places a hand over Corrine's eyes, hugging her from behind.

"You promised. To hide no secrets from me." He whispered in her ear. He pushes the elevator open as it starts to close. "You know I don't like using these methods on you, but you're stubborn and always need a push."

"The old ladies on this floor might see~"

"I don't care about the old ladies. Actually, maybe my landlord, she's kinda important. And I mean, I care about the old ladies. I wouldn't treat them badly...Hey don't distract me!" Kai furrows his eyebrows, "Look, no ones more important to me than you right now. Keep your promise, Corrine. Tell me what's bothering you." Corrine immediately starts to melt into his arms, like butter. "The time to tell me is today."

"I...I am..."

"You can trust me." Kai whispers and drops his hand so that both were hugging her around her arms. Corrine tears up.

"I am, so alone!" She shouts finally breaking down, "I feel alone, and confused! I'm angry, and maybe even sad! And hurt...it hurts Kai!"

The elevator shuts again, "But why? What brought all this on now? I know your parents died, but that happened years ago. You didn't grieve at all then, maybe it's all coming back on you."

"They weren't my parents! They lied to me!" Kai got quiet, "She said I wasn't her daughter right before she left. That she and that man were just raising me in place of my real parents. She waited til her deathbed to tell me, how could she!?"

"Corrine..." Corrine rants on, still mentally stable enough not to mention the "details" behind what truly worried her.

Corrine gripped Kai's clothes, "Every word I had heard about my life for those two years up to that woman's death were lies! She hid the truth from me for so long! And then she just...just leaves!? Sweetie, I love you, like you were my own child. Now take care of my children I'm leaving behind!? Was she really serious!?" The elevator opens up to the 1st floor. Seeing the people staring at Corrine having her breakdown, Kai hits the button to the ground floor and the close door as fast as he could. He didn't really mind the audience, but knew Corrine wouldn't wanted to have caused a public scene. They slink onto the floor when Corrine can't stand anymore. "I just, I don't feel it any more. The connection between me and them. I know it shouldn't matter that they aren't siblings, but..." The door opens and they are on the ground floor: the basement or rather the building's garage. Kai silently picks up the bawling 19 year old bridal style and walks out into the underground parking lot. Corrine doesn't even care when she's set down against a stone pillar. She just continues to bawl like a child. "...Treyvon, is mad that I won't acknowledge him. And Tyler wants me to just make up with him like everything is normal. But it's not! I can't keep pretending like everything is normal when it's not! It's not fine! I'm stuck here with them for the rest of my life, no family anywhere. I just, I can't...I don't know!" Corrine jams her eyes closed and grips her head in frustration.

One of Corrine's hands that were on her head were gripped by another. But it takes a warm sensation pressed against her lips to prompt her to open her eyes. Kai pressed his lips against her so hard, Corrine's head hit the back of the pillar. He shifted his mouth a bit so that his lips could fit into hers correctly. Corrine didn't move still in shock, even after he pulled away. Strangely enough, she felt really light headed right after, although she didn't know whether it was the kiss or the crying that made her feel that way.

"Breathe." Kai says in a light tone. She takes a breath. "There, see? You've stopped shaking." He shows her the hand he had taken a hold of. Kai places his forehead against hers, "Now. Corrine, everything I'm about to say now, may not be something that you want to hear, but please listen. You know I'm not the type to beat around the bush, when it comes to serious things. So forgive me for my bluntness in advance." Kai took a breath, figuring out the best way to get his response across, without hurting the girl's feelings. But he could only be frank with her, the only thing he knew how. "You sounded extremely selfish just now."

Corrine's eyes widened. She tried to back up away from him, but he suddenly grabbed her into a hug. "Kai. Let go."

"You sounded selfish, Corrine." Kai continued, "But that's normal, for a human being. Especially one that always used to put the needs and wants of other people first." Corrine looks down at his back, while he buried his face in her neck. "It's normal, for someone to get this frustrated after holding in all that for so long. You, only wanted not to hurt the people around you. So you held everything you felt in for their sake, but the longer you felt that way, the more it took a toll on your mental state. You soon didn't have heart to put them first anymore, and started only caring about yourself." He looked up at her from her chest and Corrine looked down at him. "It's normal, to want to be selfish once in a while Corrine." He wiped her tears, "But there's more to it. When it comes down to it, all three of you are without a mother or a father. You're all parent-less, not just you."

"B~!" Corrine starts to protest but he sits up straight, putting a finger to her lips.

"Hush mama. Daddy's talking." He says playfully to lighten the mood, "Despite being without parents, those two don't discriminate against you. They still treat you like family. They are still willing to protect and support you, whether you're blood or not. In return, all they asked was for you to still keep being their sister, like you always had been. Someone who could protect and support them in their roughest time as well. Now I know that it's hard, finding out information like that so abruptly. I'm sure she had her reasons for keeping the secret for so long. But regardless, those boys don't deserve to be treated like _that_."

"Like that?"

"I heard you and Treyvon fighting yesterday morning, and you and Tyler talking this morning. Instead of communicating to them how you felt, you just spoke to them in a cold-hearted way. And it may or may not have showed on both of their faces, but that hurt them. Their grieving, and they hold back for your sake, but you push them away. And they don't deserve that." Corrine wipes her face and sniffles. Once she's done, Kai offers her a hand and they both stand up together. He rubs her arms, "I know you. I've seen who you are. I've seen the angel in you, Corrine. I understand you feel hurt, but making them hurt won't make anyone feel any better..."

 _ **RING RING**_

Kai's cell goes off in his pocket. He starts to ignore it, but goes to reach for it answering. "This is KAI."

"Where the hell are you two? IT'S BEEN 15 MINUTES!?" Kai holds the phone away from his ear.

He slips back into his ghetto accent, "Hey now Ty, won't be too long now..."

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SAID WE CAN'T BE LATE! I SWEAR IF YOU'RE DOING ANYTHING WEIRD TO MY SISTER I'LL MURDER YOU."

"What's that Ty? Can you repeat that? I can't hear you." Kai puts the phone on speaker and holds it up for Corrine to hear.

"Heh!? What are you talking about? Look, you have 5 minutes to get Corrine's and your own ungrateful azz down here! And if you even think about laying a hand on my sister, I'll kill you. You hear that!?"

Kai removes the hand that he still had on Corrine's shoulder smiling, "Yeah yeah, I know I know. We shall be down momentarily." He hangs up before Tyler responds. He looks at Corrine, "See? He cares. That means he still loves you. I'm sure Trey does too."

"You're right, like usual. Gosh, I must've sounded like a total b*tch. A b*tch worse than Samantha."

"Ha ha. The cursing I can let slide this time."

Corrine sighs, "I'm sorry, for running my mouth off like that. It must have been hard to hear my cynical, selfish words Kai. Especially when you're an orphan yourself." She looked at him, sincerely sorry.

Kai smiles weakly, "At least you understand how I feel." He says, making light of her words. She smiles weakly in return. "But uh, let's get going. If I miss this time limit, today will be my last day." He starts to press the elevator button, "A-Actually you go on ahead. I'm going to take the stairs to my room for a min."

"Wait why?"

"My jacket is...kinda tear stained." He says smiling lightly, "Now go! I'm not trying to die today!" And then he bolts.

* * *

A couple minutes later he comes flying out of the lobby out of the apartment doors of the complex, "CeCe? Why didn't you go on ahead?"

"I waited for you, duh." She said smartly. "Tyler said he wanted both of us outside remember?"

"Right." Kai smiled. He turned her in the direction of Tyler's car, where the boys were waiting. "Now, go apologize."

"What?"

"Come on! It's the first step! To rebuilding relationships!" Kai shouts pushing her forward as he walks, "Remember what I told you. Treyvon needs a positive female figure in his life. They both do, no matter how much they won't admit it. You need to apologize to them both, but youngins first hehe." Kai snickers, "You're doing it to make them happy. And then, it'll all come back around and end up making _you_ happy. Promise." He gives her a light push. "HEY FAM! We made it."

Treyvon looks up from his phone, "You took long enough."

Tyler, who's in the driver seat glares up at Kai from the rolled down window. "It's been 5 minutes."

"Correction! Checking the timer I set on my watch when I hung up with you, it's only been 4 minutes 58 seconds and 4 nano seconds..." Two seconds later the watch beeps and he shouts with a smile, "Now it's been 5 minutes!" He glares daggers, Kai swallows going to the opposite side of the car.

"Corrine, you sit up front with me." Tyler says as Kai starts to get in the passenger seat.

"What!? But I'm the only one who knows where we're headed right?" Kai protested, "And hey! I'm older!"

"Hey! It's my car!"

"Alright Ty Ty. I'll remember that when I get myself a car in a year or so."

"Just know if you make me sit in the back seat of your future car, it'll be easy to come up behind you and choke you to death." Tyler says darkly.

Kai cries out, "Why are you so mean!?"

Corrine opens the car door on Treyvon's side, "Wait Treyvon, can I talk to you for a minute before we go?"

Treyvon looks up at her, not with a glare, not with a smile. "What do you want?"

"Please, hear me out." Treyvon frowns but gets out the car. They walk a small distance away and talk. Kai gets in the back seat.

"What are they doing? We're already late!"

"I think you should let them talk." Kai says, "It might benefit you."

"What is that suppose to mean?" Tyler asks through gritted teeth at the male in the back seat.

"Oh look, they're hugging." Tyler suddenly looks out his side view mirror in disbelief. His jaw drops, "Whatever was said, they look a lot happier than the recent days...am I right?"

"...And let me guess, you're the one behind this right?"

"What are you talking about, Ty?"

Tyler's face hardened at the brunette with the cartoon-like hair's words, "Listen here. You may have been a positive influence towards my siblings in these past few years, I'll be the bigger man and admit that. But that doesn't mean I've accepted you as part of my family yet. Got it!?" He lets out a snicker. Kai's bangs fall over his face, creating a dark shadow. "What's so funny?"

"Yet? So, it might happen really soon, eh? Wow, that must _really_ mean things are going to be changing soon."

"What makes you say that?" Tyler asks angrily looking at him through the rear view mirror. Kai smirks. His face was unreadable.

"Just the fact that you've said that, means you were at least thinking about it. _I know now that I definitely have a chance._ " He whispered the last part to himself. Kai looks up with a genuine smile, but his eyes held a hint of narcissism. "You've made me happy today, _Tyler_." Tyler lowered his eyelids as he heard Kai say his full name for the first time in years. The two boys shared eye contact with each other, the atmosphere slightly tense.

That's when Corrine opens the door sitting in the passenger seat, Treyvon sliding in next to Kai. "Okay everything's settled."

Treyvon shouted to his brother from the back seat, "Hey Lindo! Corrine doesn't hate us anymore!"

"Is that so?" Tyler asks.

"Heh!? You two were fighting!?" Kai says in an innocent tone.

"Yeah, but it's all over now. No harm done!" Treyvon smiles like the inner child he still was. This makes everyone in the car smile.

Kai leans forward and whispers into Corrine's ears, "I'm proud of you."

"You better sit the hell back." Tyler tells him pushing him backwards.

"Geez, you don't have to be so mean Big Brother Ty!"

"You have one more time to call me that Kai. I dare you, I freaking dare you. I swear I'll..." He trails off.

"What? Swear what?" He received one of Tyler's glares again. Kai sits further back into his seat.

"You guys strapped in?" He asked, and they replied with a light "yeah".

Tyler glared at Kai in his peripheral vision as he started the car, "PutYourDamnSeatBeltOn." He muttered faster than normal.

"Okay Okay! Please don't kill me!" Kai cried, fumbling with the belt quickly before clicking it in place. "But you know, Ty. I have to confess. I made a promise to you and I shall not tell a lie." Kai inhales, "Your sister and I, did end up making out."

Treyvon chokes on the juice box he had been drinking from the apartment. Corrine shrieks, "Kai! Tyler that's...he's not..." Corrine shuts her mouth when she sees Tyler's glare projecting through the rear view mirror shot at Kai in the back seat. It was unlike anyone she'd seen before.

Kai paled, "Hey! I mean I at least I changed jackets to hide it, Big Brother T-Ty~" He said on impulse before he could stop himself. In a flash, Tyler reached an arm back and started choking the male with one hand. "Ah-hhh! He h-asss a d-death g-grippp!" Corrine and Treyvon pull back on Tyler's arm telling him to stop again. Kai breathes and Tyler let's out a "Tch!" and immediately starts driving angrily.

* * *

"Kai, are you sure this is the place?"

"Of course I am. I booked the place."

"But this place is..."

The Casterwills looked over the huge hotel. It was sort of like their local Hyatt, you could say.

"Wasn't this that hotel they rebuilt a bit ago?"

"How the heck did you book this place?"

Kai got out of the back seat and slammed the door, "Look you guys don't ask questions! On a night like tonight, sometimes you gotta splurge." Everyone else got out of the car and followed him to the front doors.

"You'd book this place for the seniors' farewell party? Kai you're insane..." Treyvon says trailing off about to open the doors. Kai smirks at the little boy's remark.

"Kai, I don't believe you did this." Tyler tells him as they walk through the front doors. The whole lobby was dark.

"Well believe it. He deserves this." Kai tells him.

"What are you talking about? Who deserve-"

"Shh! He'll hear you! _Just wait and see._ " Kai whispers to Corrine as he escorts her inside the dark room. Corrine blinks.

"Hey, why is this place so dark~" Treyvon starts to ask before Kai flips on the light switch. That's why dozens of people hiding in the room come out and yell "Surprise!" when he does. Corrine gasps and Treyvon bolts for the door, not ready for the burst of excitement. "WHATTHEHELL!?" He shouts out loud.

Tyler frowns, "Watch your mouth."

"Hell's not a bad word..." He pinches Treyvon by the ear, "Oww~"

"Hey man! You finally made it!"

"Took you guys long enough!"

"Hey! Tonight's the night he's allowed to be late, right Trey?" Treyvon's closest friends, Michael, Trevor, Kyrie, and Leonardo say standing in front of the clueless boy.

"Guys? What's going on?! There's way more people here than just the one's from the studio!" Treyvon panics.

Kai smirks again, "Young Mic, Trev, Lil' Ri Ri, Leo. It seems that, Corrine and Treyvon still haven't quite caught on. Fill them in, won't you?"

"You really didn't figure it out yet?" Tyler whispers to Corrine. Corrine shook her head.

Michael folds his arms and frowns at Trey stating things bluntly, "It's your surprise party, dummy."

"Surprise party? It's his birthday bash!" Kyrie corrects Michael.

"Birthday bash?"

" _Sí mi amigo_ , yes my friend!" Leonardo tells him, "The senior farewell party is a hoax! Just a cover up!"

"Leo..."

"Ah! You can't call me that tonight!"

"Oh god not again..." Treyvon facepalms.

"I know right? But tonight he says he's Michelangelo." Trevor tells him.

"That's right! Now you all must call me Mikey!" Leonardo says laughing. The whole group just looks at him.

"Not happening Leo."

"Give it a rest will ya? For one night?"

"Ignore him." Trevor tells Treyvon, "Everyone's been planning to throw you a party, since your birthday was to be on the day of the competition, _Young Master_."

"That's right, Trey." Kai says walking over. "Everyone is here for you. Think of it as a block party...at like a fancy hotel...with a pool and laser tag..."

"THERE'S LASER TAG!?"

"Heck yeah man! We waited to try it out when you got here!" Kyrie says holding a laser gun up.

"Seriously!? Oh Shi~"

"Treyvon!" Corrine and Tyler shout at the same time.

"Hey I'm 16 now! Can't you cut me some sla~?!"

"No!" Treyvon frowned.

Kai bent down in between the boys near Treyvon, "Look everything here's set up carefully by me and the neighbors and ready to test out. But before you kids go wild, don't forget to go around and thank them at least alright? Everyone, especially the seniors put in a lot of effort to make this happen."

"Oh yeah sure!" Treyvon says eyes gleaming, "I can't even believe this is really all for me..."

"But it is man! All for you!"

"Let's get started!" The boys start to run off when, Kai grabs Trey by the shoulder.

"Ah Trey wait," He tells him, "There's a girl that's waiting to see you."

"A girl?" Treyvon asks clueless, until Kai points in to her direction. "S-S~Serena's here!?"

"She's been waiting all afternoon to see you." Treyvon blushed, noticing the black-haired girl staring at him from one of the lobby couches. He tries to swallow nervously, but chokes on his own spit when Kai murmurs, "Tonight just might be the night, huh?"

"Ah shiz, shut up!" Treyvon coughed. Kai smirked at his reaction, "I guess I'll just, go and greet her then." That's when he musters the courage to go up to the waiting female.

Kai shouts, "Alright everyone! You're free to resume! However! Please try to refrain from messing up this place too much! I don't want to lose the trust of this hotel's owner! Enjoy your evening!" Everyone disperses all over the place.

Corrine walks up to Kai, "You know, Tyler thinks you did too much..."

"I know but~"

"Which you did and you know it!" Kai shuts his mouth, "But, like always, I told him that your intentions were good. Which they always are..." Corrine then hugs the male suddenly, "I owe you so much it's ridiculous. You saved me in so many ways, just today. I can't even imagine how much I owe you for the whole 7 years I've known you."

Kai doesn't hesitate to hug her back, regardless of the people gawking at them. "I mean if we were to put a number on it, I'd say it balances out to...your life." Corrine flicks Kai in the cheek, "Ow! But I guess you can start with a thank you!"

Corrine looks up at him, "Thank you so much Kai." Gazing at her sparking blue eyes, Kai unknowingly blushed. Corrine turned seeing the people staring at them, and she let go of him in response. "Well um...I never could have guessed that you guys were gonna change the seniors' farewell get together into Trey's 16th birthday bash. Are the seniors really okay with sacrificing their party?"

"That's exactly what I asked the day they brought it up at one of our meetings. Luckily you both weren't there at the time. They told me that they wanted to do something for Treyvon since he seemed a little down recently. To sum it up really, they just didn't want to leave seeing their brightest shining star carry on their legacy with a frown on his face." Kai smiled remembering the conversation, "And the little ones especially were all for the idea, instead of a "boring farewell" just for the oldies, have a lively party for everyone instead. But, I think they were more persuaded with the stuff we all had agreed to contribute..." He trails off when some of the younger children from Studio Di in their swimsuits run past us from outside. "HEY! Kouhai-tachi! Make sure you guys keep the Nerf guns outside!" The girls and boys stop and acknowledge his presence.

"Sorry, King KAI!"

"We shall do better! To serve our Lord!"

"All hail, King KAI! All hail, Queen CeCe!" They all lift up their water guns in tribute.

"Hey! Didn't I say stop with the cult stuff!?" Corrine shouts as we watch them run off. "Ah, They'll never learn..."

"Geez, I taught them so well." Kai smiles taking her hand before she could scold him, "Now, come over here with me. I want to show you what has been set up. " They walk through the lobby towards the backyard of the hotel. "So far, most of the adults seemed to be staying on the inside, by the bar and stuff, while the children are mostly all out here." He carefully led her past the half wasted group of authority figures who couldn't leave their kids at this place alone. "But don't worry, a few adults will stay sober, just in case things start to get out of hand."

Kai walks Corrine over to the sound booth where the DJ is. Kyle stands next to him, folding his arms and shouting at Kai, "Hey KAI! What took you so long!? We needed you to do one final soundcheck an hour ago!"

"Whoa Ky Ky! Who order the dance floor?" Kai asked ignoring him and directing his attention to the multi colored floor set up in front of them. Most of the teenagers were here, while the younger kids stay by the pool nearby, with lifeguard of course.

"Not order, set up." Kyle insists, "For that, you gotta thank Ezekiel's fam. They had the hookup."

"Ezekiel?" Corrine questions. Kai does too.

"Now you know I know all my children Ky Ky, but who heck is that?"

"The young African gentleman over there. You should remember _King_!" Jazzy mocks coming over from helping the DJ, "Ezekiel Achebe. The kid was who was brought into Studio Di 2 weeks ago? After he finally passed seasonal auditions."

"Oh! Zeke!" They all give Kai a look, "Yes, his nickname shall be Zeke. We shall welcome him at the next meeting..." He suddenly starts looking sad, "...Which you guys WONT BE AT! KY KY! JAZZY! DON'T LEAVE ME!" Kai hugs Kyle around the neck before he could protest, and he didn't even try to escape this time. He just let it happen. Jazmine and Corrine shake their heads.

"Hello is this thing on! Testing testing 1233333333!" Leonardo shouts from the DJ booth, the DJ just letting him hijacking it. "Since it's our mans Trey's celebration, my best frien' Kyrie wants to do a lil' somethin' for him. Guys give it up for Lil' Ri Ri!" The rest of Trey's friends push Kyrie towards the booth.

"What is your friend doing?" Ezekiel asks in his thick African accent. Trevor sighs flipping his short blond hair.

"Kyrie can rap." Trevor says bluntly. "Leo's making him preform."

"You mean Mikey." Treyvon says from next to Serena but is ignored. He brushes him off, "Go Kyrie!"

"Alright ya'll, first time at the mic, first time at the mic!" Kyrie tries to sound enthusiastic, "Well uh, normally if I do this in front of someone, it's usually a small freestyle, b-but since it's for Trey I thought I should bring back one of his old favorites. You guys heard it tons of times at Studio Di. That song from that old parody you used to love? You know the one. Here's my version. Stronger, hit it!" Kyrie takes a breath as the DJ starts up the song.

"Hold on are you serious!?"

"Oh man he's really going to do it!"

"Lil' Ri Ri!" Everyone starts to shout making Kyrie less and more nervous.

 _Work it, Make it, Do it, Makes Us, Harder Better Faster Stronger!_

" _Alright_... _Let'_ s _crank this up! I-I-I-I-If ya try to duel me, It's gonna make me stronger! I need you to play a card now, cus' I can't wait much longer. My decks like totally gonna' beat'cha! You may think you're harder. But just wait for when I make my next move, When Winged Kuribohs' commin' atcha'!"Get'cha game on...Get'cha game on!_ " Everyone who knows the song starts to sing along, which was almost everyone. Anyone else who didn't just clapped along.

"He's singing ShadyVox's Stronger!?" Corrine exclaims partially in disbelief, "And everyone is enjoying this!?"

Kai hadn't stopped his fake tears. He held up his arm to his face, "Corrine! WE HAVE FAMILY OF WEEABOOS! WAAAAH!"

"Not weeaboos, Otakus dummy." Treyvon says, his group not far from them. They get closer.

"Classic excuse! Don't use that to justify the weebness!" Treyvon doesn't have a comeback.

"I'm surprised you two aren't dancing to this. What, not your song?"

"I could ask you the same thing, small fry." Kai says back, glancing at Serena.

"I'm not small!" Trey says embarrassed, "And we're waiting on a slower song." Serena's ears grow red.

"Young love. How cute." Kai says, Trey growing angry.

"Are you guys dating yet?" Trey suddenly asks Corrine out of the blew. She stares at him wide eyed, "I mean, yeah I still don't ship you too...but if he makes you happy, then it's not really my place to try and stand in the way."

Kai grows serious crossing his arms, "May I ask what brought this on?"

Trey finds a quick excuse, "I-It's just, this is a strangely elaborate party. I figured it was the perfect opportunity for you to confess again and you two become official. That's probably exactly what you had in mind, isn't it?" Treyvon says in a dull tone watching Kyrie mid-way in his performance. Kai doesn't say anything confirming Trey's thoughts. "Thought so..."

"You of all people, know that I wouldn't force Corrine to do anything she didn't want to do Trey." Kai says remnants of his ghetto accent gone. "It's choice whether she wants to go out with me. If not, I'll be fine just being her friend. But our relationship shouldn't concern you, Treyvon." Corrine blindly stares at the both of them.

"Tch, you say that now. But wait until she has a boyfriend. You'll understand." Treyvon tells him, Kai has a stone-faced reaction. "Do you even love him?" He asks Corrine quietly. "If you do, then fine. But if you don't, just tell him straight." He whispers low enough so he can't hear him. "He deserves an answer. A real one this time. Even though he's a good guy, men can only wait but for so long." Corrine let her mouth drop open in awe of what her 'little brother' was telling her. He really had matured in that way, to the point she didn't know how to respond to such words of his anymore.

"Trey! Kyrie's done! We can do it now!" Michael shouts to him.

"Cool, one sec guys!" The rest of Treyvon's friends head over to Kyrie. "You should decide Corrine, before it's too late. Even though you might not think so, I hate seeing you hurt sis'. I'll see you later, Princess." Trey kisses Corrine on the cheek, and when he does, a spark was felt by the both of them. It was like a shock, but more noticeable and awkward. However Treyvon just leaves Corrine after that.

"Everyone! I'm back at the mic!" Leonardo says shouting into the mic, his blexican accent resonating in his voice again. "This time, I want to announce one more performance before we turn it over to the DJ. No party isn't a Studio Di party with out a dance performance right!?" His voice gets deeper, "Welcome to the stage, the hottest group of youngins from our ghetto arse neighborhood! Welcome us ya'll! Let's go Realix! Coming at you with a revamp of our first ever group routine! Zero Gravity by IM5! We liveeeeeeee! Ay yai yai yai yai!" The crowd gets loud, "Oh yeah! And Serena! This is fo' you gurlll~ Love, Treyvon. Muah muah!"

"They finally named the group to Realix?! Ah, Treyvon must be behind that." Corrine says puffing her cheeks. She looks at Kai, "I'm surprise you're not filming."

"I already got someone on it." She facepalms as the music starts to play.

"We singing too! As a special treat!" Kyrie shouts with a smile. He, Treyvon, Michael, Trevor, and Leonardo jump from their starting positions as the song starts.

As the group performs, Corrine somehow found her attention on not the boys, but Kai. Kai noticed this and looked at her, "What's up?" Corrine wanted to reply, but didn't know what to say. With him, "nothing" doesn't cut. Kai seemed to know anyway, "Ah. Don't let what Trey said get to you. I'm fine, honestly." He told her, but his expression seemed a little uneasy when he did.

"But what if, it wasn't to me?" She looked at him in the eyes and met her stare. Corrine had no idea in which she was going with this, but in the back of her mind, she was convinced she did.

"What does that mean, Corrine?" A simple, yet complicated question. "I don't know" is not an option anymore.

"Maybe...I've thought about it..."

"Uh huh..."

"...and, maybe I..."

"Yes?" Kai stood waiting for her to say the words. Corrine had always felt uneasy about starting a relationship with Kai. After her first ever "secret relationship" taboo experience, she had no idea what love was and what is wasn't. She was never sure if what she and Kai had was that. But over the years, he's only convinced her that he a good person, one that respects her and her family. And more importantly, he was standing _right in front of her_. He was _here_ , not _there_. He was _real_. Honestly, what more could she ever truly ask for? She had been selfish enough when it came to her brothers. No more.

"...want you." The L word, couldn't make it past her lips. "Kai, I want you. Now." With lustful gave, Kai gave in to Corrine request quickly, kissing softly then deeply, then pulled away. He held her hand, clutching her fingers in his.

"Come on girl, the night's just beginning."

 _Taking off_

 _Your love puts me on a cloud_

 _I never wanna touch the ground_

 _I never wanna touch the ground again_

 _And when you smile_

 _There is zero gravity now_

 _I never wanna touch the ground_

 _I never wanna touch the gr-gr-ground_

 _Zero gravity_

 _Zero gravity_

* * *

 **MPK: *smirking* The story is only beginning...R &R hehehe...**


	4. Real Or Naw

_"Bright...So Bright..."_

 _The brightness of the sun shines through the balcony into the dark room. With squinted eyes I sit up and put a hand above my eyes so I could see better. I didn't remember falling asleep, but I was definitely not awake. I recognized the large canopy hanging above me. I recognized the cold concrete floor and the stone brick walls. Even though the rest of the room was somewhat hazy, the balcony with the view of the pyramids is what really made me comprehend where I was. Yep, this was the Pharaoh's bedroom. Another weird dream..._

 _I looked beside me on the large bed. This time there was no one at my side. However when I looked in front of me at the foot of the bed, someone was sitting there. Though his back was turned to me, the hair immediately made me think it was the Pharaoh. "Good Morning, Pharaoh." I spoke unconsciously once again. The male didn't respond to me. I found this odd. "The sun...is quite bright right now~"_

 _"That is because Ra is in the middle of rising." He stated bluntly. Something wasn't right. Kicking back the covers I crawled a little closer to him. I couldn't see his face. His hands were gripping each other tightly, while being pressed against his forehead._

 _"Pharaoh? What's wrong?" When he doesn't respond right away, I speak again. "Did something hap~"_

 _"It is deceitful to lie." He says to me, and I grow confused. "Everything. Everything you told me was a lie. Since that day...and I believed you."_

 _I straighten up next to him, "What are you talking about?" The Pharaoh removes his gripped hands from his forehead and leans them against his lips. He wouldn't look at me, his gaze angrily staring at the wall in front of him._

 _"And it is not even that I am upset that you lied. I'm upset because I can't trust you anymore." The Pharaoh continues to speak, ignoring my questions as if I never asked anything. "A man...A man who is lied to, listens to that lie and comes to believe it. Then, he unconsciously, is able to lie to himself until it comes to the point where he cannot distinguish his own lies from truth. Or others' lies from truth. That is when he loses all respect for himself and for everyone around him. And having no respect, he ceases to love."_

 _"Pharaoh?" His words seem so sad and distant. I could only think that what ever I "did", I really messed up this time. If only I knew, or rather remembered._

 _"...Do you love him?" I blink unsure of what to say. I was still clueless. "You had too. You wouldn't have done so without justifiable reason." His eyes narrow, "But if you did, why did you have to lie about it?" He closed his eyes running his hands through his hair. He tilted his head up to the ceiling as he spoke. "I'd had always wondered why. Out of all the universes, out of all the realms. Out of all the countries, and out of all of the males in those countries, you chose me. You could have chosen ANYBODY else, and I knew there were many who were willing to devote themselves to you."_

 _"But I loved you ****~" For some reason I couldn't hear his name. But of course it wasn't too hard to remember what is was. I had tried to touch his shoulder, but something shocked me violently and I pulled away quickly. It felt so cold, so dark._

 _He just continued on, "On our wedding day, you promised to love, only me. If you knew you couldn't do that...Why would you, promise me anyway? I would have understood. Now I can only feel an unrequited like love between us." His mild chuckles turned more into light cackles. Finally he looked at me. His normal crimson eyes were a mixture of purple and red instead. They were narrowed with tears as he shot me a sad smile. My heart ached violently in pain. "Can I...even forgive you?"_

* * *

 **Corrine's POV**

I felt a darkness envelop me and grew scared. It had felt like I was getting swallowed whole. "...Ah!"

Immediately I sat up in bed awakening from the nightmare. I slap my cheeks in order to fully pull me out of it. I looked around to make sure a second time. When I had done so, I did it again looking around for my necklace. I felt around my bed and under the covers for it, but it was nowhere around me. Frustrated I held onto my head. Usually, when a dream or nightmare like this occurred, my necklace was somewhere near me or on my person, shining like crazy when I'd wake. This time it was no where to be found. It just didn't make any sense.

"Stupid Yugioh dreams...dammit leave me alone!" I held my arms.

"*cough cough*" The coughing I hear in the very next minute, brings me back to my senses. Instead of just looking around, I actually try to analyze the situation. The bedroom I was in, was not my own and not one I recognized either. I looked at the shirt I was wearing. I was then reminded of last night.

"The hotel party..." I grabbed my head. Even though I knew I wasn't drunk, I finally felt what I thought was a hangover. Kai and I had gone upstairs to get away from everyone after the boys' performance, and then the cake served afterwards, as well as the pool incident with me and the younger kids. And then the water gun fight between Kai and the boys, Kai I remembered being undefeated. I can't seem to remember much after that, but it was enough to be familiar with where I was. The bedroom I had not recognize, was a hotel room, one that Kai had booked for the two of us.

"Wait could that mean that~" I stared down at the over sized white collared dress shirt. I peaked on the inside to find that it was the only thing I was wearing, and it wasn't even mine. I dropped the wrinkled collar and screeched in horror in my head. "Did we? Oh my gosh did we~?"

"*cough cough*" I looked over to the open door. The feeling of the cold floor hit by bare feet when I got up from the bed finally towards the sound. Through the door way, I knew the bathroom was right ahead. I'm cautious as I approach the door. I start to put my hand on the knob, but someone comes out before I can do so. The person I was looking for. "Corrine. You're up~"

"Kai." I say quietly. I felt his forehead, "You are coughing a lot. Are you sick?" He didn't seem to have a fever.

"If I have a fever from anything, it'd be from seeing you in nothing but one of my own shirts." I blush immediately and don't respond to him. "Hot Damn. Who knew? Even Queen CeCe is capable of pulling off the boyfriend shirt look." He hugged me around the waist, his exposed abs brush against my stomach. He looks good, really good right now. "But seriously, you're so small. It's so cute!" Seeing me pout, he gets in my face and smiles. "Good morning, Corrine." He steals a light kiss from my lips as if it has always been a normal thing and breaks away from me that quickly. "I know you're hungry. Room service should be here soon, I heard they had already started delivering to the other guests already." I remember talking with Kai last night just then. He had told me that anyone that couldn't go home right away after the party was aloud to stay in a room for the night for free. So there are suppose to be other rooms on the same floor and the one below us that were occupied.

As Kai walks towards the kitchen, I follow him. "Did you catch a cold from getting wet yesterday?" I tried to press on.

"Even if I had been cold, I was able to use you for body heat." I blush again as he dismisses my question with another smart comment. He continues to talk as if it had never happened. Noticing this, I drop whatever I was going to ask next. "I would make you some tea while we wait, but you know why that's probably not a good idea."

I sit down at the island, "You're still not good with man made objects are you? Honestly, how do you live on your own?"

He leans on the island from the other side, "Corner store."

"But I know you don't just eat junk food..." With a figure like that. Oh man. "...Don't you have to use a microwave or oven to heat up boxed meals?"

"I'm pleased to find out you're checking out my figure, CeCe." He says easily seeing through my words. "Of course the corner store is for junk food, which I still eat. It's just a matter of how you burn the weight off afterwards." He reaches over and pinches my side, making me wince. "But why eat boxed meals when I can have someone cook for me?"

"Then who cooks? Samantha can't cook, Mrs. Winters is too busy to come over and cook for you all the time, and you haven't been able to use a single appliance in your life."

"Ouch. I must have deserved payback for pinching you just now huh?" Kai screeched as he gripped his stomach like he was in pain, even though he wasn't. "But I _was_ able to come over to eat at your house."

"So you only came over to get a free meal?"

"Luckily your mom was always kind enough to feed the needy." He joked, "And of course I continuously snuck out to see _you_ my dear, also."

"Uh hmm." When Kai comes over to kiss me again, someone comes in without knocking. It's a hotel worker, with the room service Kai must have ordered.

"Speaking of free meal~" Kai said cheerfully. "Hello Charles!"

"Nothing is ever free, though to you it be. Somewhere, somehow, someone paid." The middle aged black male fixed his uniform after setting down a tray of things on the island in front of us. He doesn't look at me after glancing at me once. It was most likely out of respect, because I was only wearing a shirt.

"Is that your quote of the day or something?" I ate as they talked.

"Joke as much as you want now Kai." The male said, "Your disrespectful self won't be laughing when you are paying me back for all the chaos of last evening."

Kai laughed nervously, "Thanks again for letting me host, Mr. C. Nothing was broken just like we agreed...well nothing expensive. And the place is still in order...mostly..." I snickered at Kai getting scolded like a little kid. After he told Kai he would see him first thing tomorrow morning in the lobby, Mr. Charles fixed is glasses and left. Kai sighed in the relief of stress.

"You didn't tell me you made a deal promising the hotel staff that you'd clean up after everyone if you could hold the party. That's a lot of work for one person Kai." I said already swallowing a pancake.

"I'll manage." Kai insists, "Sometimes you have to sacrifice for a little more enjoyment in life. If I was gonna splurge this one time, I wanted to do it up right~ Besides if I had told you..."

"If you had told be I would have never let you do something this extreme. And you're damn right!"

"Which is why I didn't tell you." Kai wiggled my nose. "You always worry too much. Let me handle this."

"Then I'm helping you~"

"No. This party was my way of not only congratulating Trey, but thanking you all for basically treating me like I was part of your family at this point. It's my present, I'll do it alone." I glare at Kai.

"We're tried of you always doing things for us to thank us, you know. We're just doing what's right."

"And for doing all that, I thank you." After swallowing a strawberry, Kai kisses my forehead. "I refuse to let you and your family's kindness go unnoticed. Even if some of them can't be physically thanked anymore." He says solemnly. "I'm deep in the Casterwills' debt."

"Then when will we be even?"

"I owe you guys my life. So maybe never~"

"I don't think so." I say looking up at him seriously after finishing my plate. Kai stares back at me silently before picking me up by the waist and setting me on the island. He looked right into my eyes before kissing me. I couldn't help but kiss him back now. Kai is such a kind and generous person. It's amazing that there is actually someone in this world like him that exists, and I'm lucky enough to have him. All to myself...

 ** _'Can I...even forgive you?'_**

My last nightmare flashes in my mind again and I panic, pulling away from Kai. I grip his shoulders, "Corrine, what's wrong?"

"Kai." I start to ask, "Did we...last night did we?" I look to him hoping he would get what I was saying to no avail. "We didn't do it, did we?"

"What makes you ask that suddenly?" I look at his shirt on my upper half, "What? Are you starting to overheat, Corrine?" He whispers in my ear and I cross my legs before he can get any ideas. He chuckles wholeheartedly, "What do you think?"

"There's no way I'd be ready for that...would I?" Kai gives me a dangerous looking, devious face. "Oh gosh, we did didn't we!? I can't believe it! How could you, how could I~How come I don't remember at all!? I should remember, you...t-t-touching me...and all..." I feel turn red all over. "AHHHH!"

"Calm yourself sweetie. A real gentleman wouldn't take a woman on the first night." Kai lightly smiles gripping my waist tighter. I glare at him realizing he had just been faking me out. "Aw, ' _t-t-touching me_ '. Is that what you had wanted me to do? Touch you? How cute~" I cry out in embarrassment. He laughs, "Nice try dirty mind, but your wet clothes from when the kids pushed you in the pool are in the dryer. I washed our stuff before we went to sleep. I let you sleep in the shirt since there wasn't an extra robe for you remember?"

"Oh...yeah...right..."

"But if you want me to fulfill your dirty minded requests, I'm all ears." He says playfully and I shake my head furiously. Kai kisses me again when suddenly we hear the phone ring. Kai moves into the living area and grabs the hotel phone. "Hello?" He asks as polite as possible. Two seconds later he's handing the phone out in my direction. "It's for you, CeCe. The boys are already wondering if you and I did it or not." He jokes, I frown.

"NO WE ARE NOT! STOP MAKING UP LIES." I can hear Treyvon's voices shout from the phone, "JUST PUT MY SISTER ON!"

I take the phone, "What's up Treyvon?"

"Corrine! I know it's really early, and you're probably being lovey dovey with Kai right now, but I need you to come down here now! Tyler and I are in room 420."

"420?" I eyed our suite room key on the couch, 520. So they are right below us.

"I know. Blaze it!" I frown at Trey's joke. "But seriously, can you please get down here? We need you."

"Fine. We'll be right d~"

"Alone. Hurry." Treyvon doesn't say another word and hangs up. I put the phone back on its hook.

Kai stares at me, "So? What's up?"

I gripped my fingers, "Apparently, he wants to see me. Says it's urgent." I look at Kai to see his reaction. He was particularly surprised, and surprisingly not disappointed.

"Really? This early? I thought Treyvon would be pestering his girl around this hour instead. Guess he misses big sis more huh? Haha." I smile at his joke. Kai walks over to me and rubs my shoulders. "I guess that means you have to leave me so soon." He pretends to pout, "But hey, let's at least leave here together okay? Since it's Sunday, it would be nice to sleep in before we have to start training the kids for Nationals tomorrow. But since you're heading out, why don't we meet up a little later and do that at my apartment instead?"

"Don't you have some cleaning to do?" I teased.

"Pfft. Didn't I tell you to let me worry about that?!" He said, "Also if you were heading for the door, I suggest putting some decent clothes on first." I gasp in realization and Kai amusingly points to the door where my clothes should be. I speed walk in the room in order to hide my embarrassment from him. After reattaining my clothes from last night, I put them on without hesitation and go into the bedroom to grab my phone. I was going back into the front room, but not before something gold caught my attention. I look down into the trash can out of my peripheral vision. A lollipop wrapper? I guess? That was odd though, Kai didn't usually eat sweets. Maybe I had one and didn't remember. I wasn't remembering a lot today...

"Corrine! If you don't leave soon Trey will call back! You know how anxious that boy can get!" Kai yells to me. I choose not to dwell on it anymore and go back in the front room. "Jeez, you look as pretty as you did last night. Except the bed hair~" Kai praises in a sing song tone.

"Ha ha. Good thing I'm only going down a floor." I tell him, "I'll see you later then."

"Call me when you guys wanna head out. I'll keep myself occupied until then."

"With cleaning?" I teased again. He flicked my forehead, "Oww~" I whined. Kai then kissed where he had flicked me.

"Don't keep me waiting for too long." He says quietly before kissing me again. The guy is such a good kisser, I have trouble keeping up with him. Not only that, but I start to feel weak in the knees when he touches me. This makes it harder for me to stay balanced on my tippy toes, which I have to stand on to reach his face. Kai must have realized my struggle and picks me up by my thighs, making his way to the couch. What was suppose to be a goodbye kiss, turns into something a little more steamy that I didn't even think I was capable of.

After setting me down, Kai squeezes me around the waist and I gasp when he uses the opportunity to slip his tongue in my mouth. His kisses leave me so breathless, I have to grip the newly found shirt he had acquired to keep myself from going crazy. He runs his fingers through my long hair and my legs rub against his own. I put my arms around his neck craving his kisses more. Rather, him more. "If you kiss me like that, I don't think I'll want to let you leave. Ever, ha." Kai breaths out with lustful eyes. I frown realizing that what he had just said had been similar to what someone else had said to me before. Even though the strong memories kept nagging at me, the indescribable magnetism between Kai and I, I felt was stronger.

I kiss Kai one more time to dismiss the memory. I just have to keep remembering. Kai is here right in front of me, _he's_ not, so let it go. "I _really_ , should head out now. Before I tempt you too much~"

"Too late." Suddenly the hotel phone rings again. My best bet was that it was Treyvon again.

I stood up, "See, I'm being told to leave. Sorreh, hehe."

"Bummer." I look at him after hearing a word I haven't heard him say in a long time. I notice Kai actually pouting genuinely, which makes me laugh. He rubs his neck with one arm and pushes me with the other. "Yeah yeah, go go. I'll miss you." He mutters with a cute expression, opening the door. Why has it taken me so long to accept his love again?

I hesitate a little, a blush appearing on my face once again. It was finally okay to say this. I can actually say this. "I-I'll miss you, too!" I run down the hall without seeing Kai's reaction from that.

* * *

"Hey! What's going on? Is Tyler having some kind of mood swing again~Ummm!" As soon as I reach the door to suite 420, Treyvon covers my mouth.

"Shh! Don't draw the rest of the people outside their rooms!" Trey whisper shouts.

"Is there someone dangerous in there? Is it a burglar?" I jump to conclusions really quick, "Isn't Tyler in there!?" Trey covers my mouth again.

"Dammit Corrine don't draw suspicion to us!" Treyvon says to me with and irritated look. From the looks of it, he hadn't gotten much sleep. On top of that, he looked like he was awoken right after he had tried to sleep. The red eyes, bags, and bed hair were evidence. "A burglar, no. Now a dangerous person, just maybe...and yes Tyler is still inside. But he's sleeping..."

"How does that make it better?!"

"LOOK Corrine!" He growls to get my attention, "The truth is I don't know what this thing this! But I know who it wants, and it's you." He takes my necklace, the one Rashidi had left for me, out of his shirt. "And I know because of this. Honestly, you won't believe this one." He cracks open the door and gestures for me to peak inside. "Does she look, familiar to you? At all?" I look in the crack and immediately froze. "I know it's been a while since you played the game but...she's hard to forget."

Sitting on the couch, was a woman. A very beautiful looking woman, with long silver locks and a long white dress that stretched from her place on the couch and across the floor. The white, gold rimed helmet on her head looked uncomfortable as she stared at her white gold rimmed shield in her hand. The good news was her spear like weapon was placed on the table in front of her, the bad news was it was in her reach though. I easily recognized her form even after 5 years of staying away from Yugioh. "Athena? The Yugioh trade card version?" My mouth stood agape as I stared at the woman. I shut the door back slowly so it didn't click. "Is that from my deck? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?" I ask trying not to be too loud.

"I'm wheezing internally too." Treyvon said to me, "I stayed up a little longer than usual, and looked at your deck that I had brought with me to the party. I was gonna duel some of the kids, because you know, ain't no Studio Di party without at least one Yugioh duel..." I glared menacingly at him, urging him to finish telling his story quickly. "Anyway, I must have drifted to sleep at some point with the card in my hand. And I've been wearing your Realix since we left the apartment. Maybe something triggered it, and brought her to life?" He asked unsure, "All I know, is that she wasn't there when I went to sleep, but the next thing I know is she's waking me up out of nowhere. One look at her and I had to suppress a scream. I ran outside as fast as I could, and tried to call you from the front desk."

"So you just left our brother in there, alone?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"YOU CAN NOT TELL ME YOU WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THE SAME THING DAMMIT!" We hear a bang coming from inside. "Damn, she must know you're hear now." Treyvon hands me the necklace back. "We just have to play it cool. Ask her what she wants." Treyvon takes a breath and then slowly opens the door.

The woman on the couch stares up at us entering the room. Her voice is light, "Please, close the door behind you. Spectators are troublesome." Treyvon closes the door and puts the lock on it. "Move in closer." We inch our way towards her, and she gets a good look at the two of us.

"This is her, A-Athena ma'am." Treyvon says slightly intimidated. I try to move closer, but then her weapon suddenly shot up and pointed at us. This is the first time in a while I felt Treyvon clinging on to me from behind.

"There is suppose to be another. There was another."

"My brother! You mean him?!" Treyvon asked hesitantly. I glared at him, "What?"

"Yes. Bring him out as well." Her spear stood straight up. Treyvon runs to the bedroom as fast as he could tripping and almost falling. I go after him but the spear drops back down in front of me. "Do not move. He can do it."

Two seconds later, Treyvon comes back outside with Tyler, who's rubbing his eyes slowly. "Oh my goshhh boy, stop it. Tell Kai, I'm not in the mood for early morning pranks tod~"

"Casterwills." Tyler looks up and immediately Treyvon cover Ty's mouth before he could scream.

"Treyvon what is this? Did you order a cosplayer or something!?"

"No."

"Then what the he~"

"Casterwills!" Athena shouts in a deeper tone then before. Her spear is back trained on us. "My name is Athena. I am a powerful duel monster, from a realm in the outside world. I was sent here as a messenger, and my time is short. So listen up, GOT IT?" Both Tyler and Trey now stand behind me, gripping each of my arms.

"Gee, I have such brave brothers." I mutter.

"Tyler Casterwill. Treyvon Casterwill. Corrine Casterwill." Athena starts, "I've come to tell you that your time in this place can now come to an end. You are now allowed to drop your aliases and return back. The Princess must now return home. And you are needed back on duty." The three of us say nothing, clearly not believing a word this person was saying. Athena tries again, "The world we are in right now, is called the Realm of The Real. In this world, magic does not exist and that makes it very hard to connect with this place. I'm here to tell you that outside this place, where you belong, is calling for the three of you to come home."

Treyvon steps out from behind me, "W-Who sent you here?"

"I have been brought to life as a proxy on behalf of the Queen of Realms." Trey and I freeze, "Do you not believe in me still?"

"Lady, I have no idea what you are doing here, or who this Queen you're talking about is." Tyler started, "Or how you got _in_. Or how this spear is _following me around_..." He made his way slowly to the couch near her, her spear following him. "But I think you need to leave, take an aspirin, and head back to your own room to wait out your hangover." He clearly thought this was an drunk adult from the party last night. How wrong he was.

"Big bro wait! She's telling the truth." Treyvon holds up and shows him the duel monster's card she came from. "She's 100% a duel monster. See, the card is empty." Tyler frowned seeing that the picture that was suppose to be there wasn't. "Besides, mom talked about this remember. That Corrine would one day get us back home."

Tyler's eyes narrowed, "Treyvon, not this again."

"Niall! It's Niall remember!?" Tyler frowned, "Athena was sent by the Queen to show Corrine how to take us back home! "

"And how am I suppose to do that? Didn't she just say magic doesn't exist here? Which is another thing, how come you're here if that's true?" I frown asking Athena.

"Unfortunately, I am not able to travel to this world because of this place's lack of magic. It would have many risks I cannot afford to take. So, I was able to do the next best thing. Transfer my mind into the object of my parallel existence of this world."

"The Yugioh trading card."

"Correct. It was the best way to properly send the message. But my time is running short." Athena takes a hold of her weapon, "There's no time to waste. You must use the Realix and go back home now. Imagine the portal and go."

"Wait wait! This necklace's power hasn't worked for me in years. How come it's working now? You can't just expect me to accept all this at once right? Surely you can explain a little more before you have to go!"

"You will only believe me once you see it for yourself anyway, right Princess?" I frown again and Athena sighs. She uses her weapon to blasts out a sphere towards the floor, which opens up a portal, one like the one Treyvon and I had used before. At the sight I grip my necklace. "In this world, it's called anime right? Is there an "anime land" you'd wish to go to? I can send you there, and you will then have your proof."

"Seriously? Any anime? Ever?" I gripped my necklace tighter. _'Any anime...then surely...'_

"SPIDER RIDERS! I WANNA GO TO SPIDER RIDERS!" Treyvon says before I can say what I was thinking. "I've been binge watching it lately! That is an anime, right? Not a cartoon..."

"You mean the realm belonging to Hunter Steele?"

"How do _you_ know _Hunter Steele_?" Trey and I say in unison.

"You'll understand soon enough. Perhaps meeting one of your guardians will make you see things more clearer. I'll send a message to your guardian stationed in that realm and let him know you are coming." She is quiet for a moment, so she must have sent it mentally. "Try it. Enter this world and experience it from its beginning past point, where I will send you, as well as it's central present point, the point in which your guardian will take you." Her words confuse me as the 3 of us cautiously approach the void like space in the middle of the room. We all face the inside of the void. It's inside is initially dark. "You all will be in good hands then. My time is up. Good luck and farewell." Then she disappears.

"No way, she's back in the card..." Tyler mutters, "What the heck is going on?! And what is that thing?!" He gestures to the portal.

Treyvon looks me in the eye. His expression is half, "I told you so!" half "Can we go!? Please!?" I sigh in defeat and give a light nod.

"Ah what the hell. If this sh*t can be explained, I'm all for it~"

"Corrine! Don't curse! No matter how weird this is." Tyler scolds me. "How did she make this huge hole in the floor!? We need to call the co~!" Trey and I lock arms with Tyler before he could say more.

"Screw the coppers! The Po Po ain't gettin' near this!" Treyvon exclaims.

"Sorry big bro. But we're doing this." I tell him.

"We'll explain later! The portal is starting to close!"

"Here goes!" I say before we jump into to the void deep enough to suck us in, dragging a screaming Tyler in with us this time. Treyvon smiles brightly.

"Back in the land of anime we goooo!" He screams, "WAH HOO!"

* * *

The power of my necklace guides us through the maze of multiple worm holes. Without it, we could have just ended up floating anywhere and getting lost inside this never-ending space. The unknown force drags us up and down a certain path, sucking us into one of the similar looking holes. Not long after we had entered, we had ended up at our destination. We land painfully on the ground.

"Ow...Big Brother! Get your freakin' arm outta my face!" Treyvon groaned in pain.

"Maybe you could get your tiny, strangely heavy body of my chest first, I could move! And I could breathe again!"

"HOW BOUT YOU BOTH GET UP NOW?" I shout angrily from underneath the both of them. They immediately jump up and I stretch my back out in pain.

Tyler bends down, holding out a hand. "Sorry Corrine, can you stand~"

"AH!"

"WHAT!? WHAT IT IS NOW!?" Tyler jumped too much at Treyvon's sudden shout. I refuse Tyler's hand and get up on my own.

"This is the pyramid!" Treyvon's eyes lit up, "This is that pyramid with the portal to the inner world!"

"How do you all know about the inner world?" We all turned around at the same time after hearing a new voice. I cringe.

"OH MY GOD." I say not being able to keep it to myself.

"HUNTER! MAH MANZ!" Treyvon shouts in a ghetto voice uncontrollably. He restrains himself from jumping on him like a little kid. "So nice to meet you in person!"

"I guess I could...say the same?"

"Wait a minute. That's Hunter Steele?" Tyler asks, "Oh yeah I remember this kid. This is that whiny brat from that show you've been binge watching recently."

"Hey! Who are you calling a brat!? You old lady!" Hunter shouted at him. Tyler's face became blank. I wanted to laugh, but the irritation growing on my brother's face makes me hold it in as best I could.

Unlike me however, Treyvon likes to be brutal. "Damn Big Bro. You were called old, AND a _wahmen_! Hahaha!"

"Hunter, Tyler is a male." I clarify for him.

Hunter gasps, "What really!? Sorry. I assumed with the long girly hair and all..."

" _WHY ARE WE HERE? AND HOW DID WE GET HERE!?_ " Tyler shouts between gritted teeth, pupils small. Treyvon chokes from Tyler gripping his collar too tight. "ALSO WHAT TYPE OF HOLOGRAM IS THIS? WHY DOES THIS LITTLE SH*T LOOKS SO REAL!?"

I wiggle my eyebrows, "Hey, what happened to not cursing?"

He let him go, "Oh screw you Corrine!"

"Oh come on Ty, you have to admit it's long and girly." Treyvon laughs gesturing to Tyler's long black hair, which he had refused to ever cut. It dangled past his knees, especially in this place. "But no Tyler this the real deal. Just like Athena, Hunter's real!"

"WHAT?" Tyler breaths then pinches the bridge of his nose. But Treyvon doesn't give him time to think. He grabs him by the head so that they were both eye level.

"I don't want you to be all like that _"I don't believe any of this crap"_ cliche, ya hear me?" He says to Tyler. "As your younger brother, who clearly knows better than you, I expect for you to trust me on this. So that we can progress this part of our journey much faster."

"What makes you so sure? About all this?" Tyler glares at his words, "Do you know something I don't?"

"In the bluntest way of putting it, yes. Both me and Corrine do, because we've been here before. Or I guess I should say, we've been through this before. Cause we haven't been "here, here" before." Tyler's eyes widened.

"Yeah Ty, he's right. "This" maybe new for us, but "this" isn't new for us at the same time. You know what we mean?" I muffle a laugh knowing I'd only confused him more.

"Hey guys? I'm really happy for you and your revelations, but you're kind of in the way of the entrance. If you don't have anything to say to me or tell me about this place, I'm gonna ignore the fact that you fell out of the sky and leave now..." We all realize and step out of the way. "Well I'm off! See ya!" With a dark expression, Treyvon suddenly grabs Hunter by the shoulder.

"WE CAN'T LET THE PLOT MOVE AWAY FROM US." Treyvon shouts a cringy sentence in a cringy tone. "AND THE PLOT FOLLOWS THE MAIN CHARACTER." Hunter steps back intimidated.

"Trey can you just explain to Hunter why we're here, you're scaring him."

"I'm still waiting for a proper explanation myself here." Tyler grimaces, "You've been here?"

"Not here."

"Then..."

"In Yugioh."

"...Yugioh?"

"Yugioh season zero yes. We lived there for like half a year, then came back like nothing happened."

Tyler's face tightened, "You both were in the world of the most dangerous Yugioh series there is, and you never told me? When the hell was all this?"

"...The day your mom died. That's why we were late. Please don't ask anything else." Tyler stood there, mouth agape awkwardly.

"That would...explain...some things..."

"Guys! Hunter's agreed to let us in on his journey!" Treyvon says to us, "Come on! Let's explore the pyramid!"

Hunter walks in right after him, "It's not like I had a choice..."

"Hey you two! Wait up!" I run inside and Tyler does right after me. Foolishly we all bump into each other and end up falling down the large shoot that was waiting inside. We end up falling into a bunch of items in a pile in the center of a room.

Hunter groans and looks up, "No way...A dead end?" He quickly jumps up and does a manual search of the room, while the 3 of us still recover. "But we followed the path in my Gramp's journal exactly!"

Tyler wobbled on his hands and knees, "Why do I somewhat remember this happening? Wait a minute, are we...reliving the anime with this character?"

I rub my head, "Yeah, that's kinda how it worked for us so far."

"Or~" Treyvon sits up smiling, "We could interfere with the timeline and make it better! Because it's more fun that way!" He gets up, "Yeah, we're doing that!"

"Wait Trey, remember what happened before? The plot didn't allow us to do certain things remember? We had to follow the storyline..."

"I said nothing about changing the plot or not following the story line Corrine Onee-chan." Treyvon smirks, eyebrows up confidently. "Just speeding everything along~Watch and learn..." Treyvon pretends to trip into Hunter and they both fall into a nearby wall. "Ow! Sorry Hunter! There just so much stuff on this floor~" He looks up. "Oh my! Look Hunter! A secret door! But it's jam shut!"

"He wouldn't really fall for his fake acting right?"

"Holy crap Treyvon! It's Treyvon right?"

"Yeah."

"Holy crap Treyvon! Your falling may have just saved our lives!"

Tyler's eyes narrow, "Seriously?"

Hunter tries to pry open the door, "Ah man, it won't budge! We'll never get out of here!"

"Neh Hunter...what would your Grandpa say in this situation?" Trey asks with another sneaky, all knowing grin.

"My grandpa?" Hunter frowns then bangs his head, "He'd say "Don't ever stop! Don't ever give up!" Then he'd jump up and yell..."

"ARACHNA POWER!"

Tyler is the only one that doesn't shout this and only stares at the hidden door as it opens. "Wow, what a plan."

"Aw, don't be sad you didn't get the clue." I tease. Tyler rolls his eyes.

"Great, we've just moved into another room, with more junk." Tyler mutters, "Significance please?"

"Good things come to those who wait, brother." Treyvon only tells him, provoking an irritated look from Tyler.

"I dunno what you guys are calling junk. Have you actually took a look at some of this stuff?"

"She's right you know." Hunter picks up a small vase. "I bet all this stuff would actually be really valua~" A spider crawls out of the vase at that moment. Hunter and I freak out at the same time. "SPIDER!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I let out a Starfire-like scream, that's how terrified I was. Bugs creep me out!

After accidentally pushing Hunter, who was holding the vase, into a pillar, the platform it held up collapses. All its items sprawl out on the ground, including hidden contents of a nearby brass box. Out falls out what I recognized as a manacle from the show. But at the blink of an eye, 3 more manacles digitize on the ground beside it. I'm the only one who notices it seems. "Ow! What the heck was that?!"

"Sorry, I'm not good with bugs."

"Ya huh, totally not planned." Tyler folds his arms as I scowl at him.

"I was serious dammit!"

"Look! The timeline's changing already!" Trey shouts excitedly.

"Timeline?" Tyler and Hunter asks to no avail of an answer.

"Whoa! They look even cooler in real life!" Treyvon's eyes light up. "I wanna wear one!"

"Yeah, they look cool enough. Why not? Let's all have one! Since there's enough for all of us." Hunter says excitedly, "I'm sure whoever once owned these would want us to have them. Here you go, one for you..." One manacles seemed to quickly attach itself to Tyler like a magnet. It sparked then faded. "And one for you..." When Hunter tried to hand me one, it shocked me and I stepped back. "Oh hey are you okay?" Hunter asks. I nod saying it only stung a little.

"Nee-chan, try this manacle instead." Treyvon encourages handing me the light blue, black trimmed one. When I do, it fits me like a glove. "See? And this one will be mine!" The green, red trimmed manacle that shocked me attached to Treyvon and he smiled. "So cool! It looks like my fake one back at home!" He muttered to himself.

"Yeah I guess it is sort of like a manacle." Hunter agrees, "Okay! We are calling these manacles now! Yay!" Treyvon shouted "Yay" the same time that Hunter does. "Arachna Power!" He says out of nowhere. Suddenly the floor cracks up underneath us. "Ah! What happened?!"

"Did you make the pyramid gods angry?" Treyvon asks immediately clinging on my arm.

"You just had to trigger something didn't you!?" Tyler shouts at Hunter. The extremely cracked floor opens up completely. "Guys run!" It only takes a couple seconds for us to have nowhere to go. A bright purple liquid glows from down below. "LAVA!? WHAT IS THIS!?"

"What did you think was under pyramid ruins!?" I shouted at Tyler.

"This whole place is coming down!" Hunter complains, suddenly slipping and falling onto a fallen rock. He uses it to surf around the center of the light. "Aaaaaah!" He ends up getting sucked into it.

"Hunter!" Treyvon lets go of my arm and jumps, "Cannonballlllllllll!"

"Treyvon!" Tyler and I shouted in together on impulse.

"Follow me! It's safe! Before it's too late!" Trey shouts before getting pulled under. Tyler instinctively grabs me by the waist and jumps in the pit before a giant rock crushed us where we stood. We were almost immediately taken under.

I honestly couldn't tell you what happened in the vortex; things moved so fast. All I could see around me was bright colors everywhere. "Hey Corrine, are you good?" Tyler asks me when we were safely back on the ground. I nodded and tried to sit up quickly. Bad idea. "Easy there." He cooed, "It seems Hunter and Treyvon are already gone."

"The plot must be moving around them then. You have to always be with the main character if you want to be caught up in the main story." I attempt to stand up again. Painfully, I succeed. "Tyler, what happened just now? In the vortex, you weren't next to me anymore?"

"I don't really know. We were falling together when I saw this really beautiful woman with orbs floating around her. She stopped me and wouldn't let me go any further, but then this other goddess like woman appeared in front of me and gave her a look. Then she just let me through." Tyler looked at his manacle. "That's when my manacle shined and I ended up here." While he was talking something rose up behind him. "This whole place is weird. Spider Riders...what is this world or rather realm about Corrine?"

I froze, "Spiders..."

"I figured that Corrine."

"No. It's a literal title."

"Real~"

"IT'S A LITERAL TITLE!" Tyler finally looks behind him. Two huge spiders look us in the eyes. I hid behind Tyler. At least he didn't seem as afraid as I was.

"What the hell~?" Tyler seemed to be talking to himself, as I grew scared outta my mind. "They're huge!"

"If you would have watched TV with Treyvon in the mornings back in the day, you would have known how big they were suppose to be!"

Tyler steps forward contrary to how scared he sounded, "But they're so cute!"

"What?"

"Especially this one!" He pets the one on our left. It tries to attack him with a leg but it lands a little ways away from him. He doesn't even notice. "Do you think it's a girl? Or a boy?" The spider tries again, but the same thing occurs. "No, you're definitely a girl." The spider gave up.

I look at my older brother's jovialness with my mouth open. Just then the other spider, that had been there the whole time, decides to strike him as well. But with a much clearer shot! "Tyler! Say the thing!"

"What thing?"

"What Hunter said earlier! To trigger the pyramid! Hurry!"

"Huh? You mean _Arachna Power_?" A blinding light from Tyler's manacle shot up into the air. At the same moment, I noticed two other lights had shot up into the air not far away from us. The same thing must be happening to Treyvon and Hunter too then. In the mist of the moment, the other spider on our right started to approach me.

I almost screamed holding my hands out, "Ah ah ah! _Arachna Power!_ " The same light erupted from the manacle on my wrist. The four of us were enveloped in a rainbow like light. The colors blinded us completely. When the multiple lights finally died down, Tyler and I blinked.

"Well...that happened..."

"Yeah..." Tyler looked to his spider. He already seemed so close with it. "Hey, are you okay girl?" He asked. The spider nodded. It didn't talk to him like I thought it would. "I'm kinda shocked actually. But it's not as bad as everything else I learned today~" He seemed to be having a conversation with it. He was the only one speaking aloud though.

"Tyler? Your spider speaks?"

"Hm? Oh yeah she's speaking to me. Can't you hear her?" He asks. I shook my head, "Aw, are you a mute spider? Aww, it's okay. I have a friend like that. It's perfectly okay to be different." He comforted her. Tyler turned back to me, "She's speaking through her thoughts I suppose. But the other one can communicate normally she says. Apparently we can communicate with these spiders now. But of course you should have known that we could already Corrine, right?" I frown irritated.

"Who are you two~" When the other spider tried to talk to me, I ran a good distance away from it.

"Corrine, there's no reason to be afraid of Sil and her sister." Tyler and his spider approached me. "Meet Silvya and~"

"AHHHHHHHH!" I can't help but let out the shriek of terror I had been holding back. Immediately "Silvya" backs up a good 30 meters from me. Not saying anything still.

"Aw Sil! Don't worry! She's more afraid of you than you are of her." Tyler cooed, "That goes for you too Corrine! Grow up!"

"Do you understand how big these things are!? You can't get over arachnophobia like this in an instant!"

"Think of it this way. The bigger they are, the more love they have to give." I wanted to curse Tyler out right then and there.

"INCOMING! INVECTID ARMY!" Out of nowhere Treyvon appears from the trees riding a spider of his own. Not only does he already have his spider, but he is in full battle uniform. He jumps off the spider just as a few of those bugs come near us and slashes them with what looks like the cross between a machete and a katana. The huge blade enlarges before the attack, then deflates back to normal afterward. "Nice one, Orion. Nii-san! Nee-chan! Daijoubu!?"

"And enter our deeply involved otaku brother." I mutter getting to an equal distance away from each spider. Tyler didn't understand what he said so...

"Yeah we're fine. Why the huge blade?"

"Wait what?" I'm taken aback by Tyler's understanding and blank out for multiple seconds.

"Oh my weapon." He wiggles his eyebrows, "Like my Zanpakutō?"

"STOP." I say shutting his next joke down before he can say it. Hunter then rides up to us from behind on what looks like his battle spider, Shadow. He is in full uniform as well.

"Treyvon, there are more behind us! What do we do?!"

"My dear Hunter, WE FIGHT MY FRIEND. Til the bitter end!" Treyvon leans over to us. "You guys should try fighting too! It's fun!" He then joins Hunter in taking down the invectids that had slid in our direction.

Tyler suddenly looks up at the incoming line of invectids, like suddenly noticing multiple stains on a clean shirt. "Ty, are you cool? We gotta get outta here!" I tell him pulling his arm.

Tyler speaks slowly, "I dunno...I just have a strange feeling in the back of my mind. That I, know what I'm doing...like I've done it before?" Tyler places a hand to his chest closing his eyes. As the bugs get near us, I watch my brother's movements carefully. " _ARACHNA POWER._ " His eyes open, a dark violet color. A violent wind erupts blowing the bugs away from us. I let go of Tyler as a violet light erupts from his black, purple rimmed manacle. Tyler stays calm as he and Silvya seemed to get dressed with armor. They transformed, and the light blinds me from seeing the rest. "Silvya, let's ride."

Tyler rides on top his spider as if it came naturally to him. With the Thor hammer like weapon he gained, he attacked the invectids that were around us. For the larger one he encountered, he swung the hammer in a circle before using the momentum to jump in the air and attack it. He landed back on Silvya like it was nothing. "Corrine!" He then called to me. "Stay with your spider for now! Silvya says that she'll protect you." I can't protest fast enough as Tyler scoops me up from the ground and places me on top the other spider, before jumping away with Silvya.

"He left me." I didn't know what to be more in shock about. The fact that I was on top a large spider, or the fact that Tyler had went from a confused side character to a male protagonist in seconds. I stared down at the spider I was on, then back at my manacle. "I guess...it wouldn't hurt to try..."

Something happened before I could finish my aloud thought. It happened so fast I almost missed it. A diamond shaped portal opened up in front of me. A taller version of Hunter with medium length hair jumped out of it with his mount, Shadow. The male jumped off, grabbed me around the waist with an armed and landed back on the spider before landing back on the ground. With another leap off the ground, we reached where Tyler and Treyvon were. He grabbed the both by the collar flinging them on the spider as well. He somehow opened another diamond like portal, and out of the place we were. " _Claude Ostium!_ " He pointed at the portal gateway behind us, closing it with a spell. "Sleep Princess." He bent down and muttered to me. Before I knew it I was gone.

* * *

"We...you...We need you." I wake up to voices on my left side. I sleepily open my eyes to see Treyvon and Tyler talking to three other people outside of the bedroom I seemed to be in. The taller Hunter from before was one of them, but the other two were too far behind the door to see. I lean up on my arm to watch them speak in the doorway. "It's important that you get back to work, asap."

"Yes it is!" One of the others said, "While you both were in the Realm of the Real, playing house with the princess, we've been over here protecting what you should have been here to protect! Overworking our azzes off for you without even the slightest bit of acknowledgement or reward!"

"Settle down Kirito." Hunter said having an arm out as a warning. The black haired male who had seemed to step closer to the two boys, moved a step back on command. He stepped back behind the door before I could see anymore of his appearance. No way...Kirito? As in the Kazuto Kirigaya "Kirito"?

"Your reward is being here, first of all. To serve and protect the universe isn't a chance given to everyone. You should be more grateful." And Takuto...Takuto Tsunashi, whom I met before. It sounded like he said this with an attitude. Since his back was turned to me, I could only imagine that his facial expression was less than happy.

"Yes. I-I'll try to be more humble, sir." I heard Kirito mumble.

"And second," Hunter continued for him, "They were sent there by order of the Queen. They weren't there to lollygag, they had a job to do. Protect the Princess. But now that they are back where they belong, it's time for them to get back to their duties."

"Look I have no idea what you all are talking about." Tyler told them, "Treyvon, I've tried pinching myself multiple times. But I still can't seem to wake up from this weird dream."

"That's because it's not a dream. Every character we've seen, everything in this place is real. No matter how much we can't remember it being so." Treyvon says to him, "And it's Niall. Niall, dammit." He said it as if he was trying to reassure himself that it was the truth. "But Hunter, no matter how much we try...how much I try, I don't remember anything! It's there, I know it's there, the memories. But I can't reach them. It's like I want to remember. But I just can't!"

"That's not our problem!" Kirito grabs Treyvon by the collar, "As you are right now, you're useless to the Animanian Empire! Either do something about it or step down from your position and stand aside!"

"KIRITO THAT'S ENOUGH." I'm taken aback by the sudden bass in Takuto's voice. He grabbed Kirito by the collar, "How dare you scold people who rank higher than you!? You better settle down right now and know your place! Or I swear on my own rank, I'll report you to the Queen and make sure that you are stripped of any rank you do have. You don't even have a position in our round of knights! Everyone here has authority over you. So shut the hell up and stop being so damn disrespectful! Are we clear?" Kirito hadn't uttered a sound. "I said are we clear!?"

"Yes! Yes we are sir!"

Hunter only watched as he got yelled at. The boys don't say anything either. "Kirito, go grab the crystals." He told him when Takuto had released the male. Kirito respectfully bows and in a flash a diamond portal opens and swallows him whole. Seconds later, the portal opens back up and he steps out, holding two glass cases. "Sorry, in order to keep these safe, we had to keep the crystals in separate confinement from their chains. We're only just now putting them back together." Hunter says carefully taking out the emerald gem that had been inside.

"Hey that jewel looks just like the one on Corrine's necklace!" Treyvon exclaims.

"But how?" Tyler asks. After place the gem back on its chain, the necklace looks even more similar to my own. I swallow hard.

Hunter holds up the necklace in front of Treyvon by the gem. Treyvon seems to wince. "Do you really want to know?"

"That stone's giving off a weird aura. Hold on~" Takuto covers Tyler's mouth.

Treyvon ignores him, "I do. I want answers. Answers to everything!" Hunter puts the gem inches away from his face. Trey's eyes start to glow a dark green.

Hunter's face hardens, "You want to remember?"

"Yes! Yes I do!"

Hunter holds the gem back, "Then remember! In the name of the Queen of Realms, REMEMBER!" The gem shines uncontrollably and Trey seems to freeze. He seemed to shutter violently under its spell. As soon as it looked like Treyvon was going to holler, Hunter pushed fingers into his neck. The poor boy immediately grew weak and fell forward, Hunter catching him in his arms. "It's okay. You're back under the presence of your Queen now."

"What the hell did you just do to my brother!?" Tyler shouted, squirming in Takuto's grip. After handing Trey to Kirito, Hunter removed the other gem from the case. The violet gem shimmered when he got it closer to Tyler. "No, get that thing away from me!"

"I gave your brother back the memories he was missing. And now it's your turn."

"Stop! I don't want this! Don't hurt me!" Tyler yelled, "Just leave us alone."

"I'm only doing what I was instructed to do. By you actually."

"W-What!?"

Hunter's eyes narrowed worriedly, "No matter what I can't fail you. Return to us, old friend." The gem's glow brightened and Tyler's eyes became a dark violet. He had frozen as well, but not for as long as Trey had. A moment later he was screaming. He sounded like he was in real pain, like he had gotten shot or stabbed. He was panting in between, wriggling around violently as Takuto tried his best to hold him steady. I started to lay up and run over, but for some reason, I felt like he wasn't in any real danger despite his screams. I concluded it was best if I just stayed quiet. They might end up trying to do me like that after all...

"Sleep already will ya!?" Takuto chopped in the neck hard, and he slumped over murmuring to a silence as well.

Hunter looked to Kirito, "Make sure they're taken care of. They need to recover properly. See to it." Kirito bowed and did as was told. Taking Treyvon through a void, then coming back for Tyler, and disappearing again. He didn't come back after that.

Hunter and Takuto faced each other. Hunter had both hands on his hips, "Dude, how come he's so out of control?" He asked. Takuto shifted away from him, with one hand on his hip. "Wasn't he once your apprentice? He shouldn't talk back to you like that."

"I dunno. He's just becoming more resistant these days. I just don't get it." Takuto sighed, "But he isn't my responsibility anymore." When he turned to my direction I jammed my eyes shut quickly, hoping I hadn't been seen. I could hear both sets of footsteps enter and settle on both sides of me. I could feel one of them caress my cheek with the back of their hand, "You were suppose to visit me in my world first. Dummy." Takuto muttered, and I figured it was him. "Alright. I'm heading out. I gotta report to Howl now. Keep me posted."

"About the boys? Sure." Hunter told him. "For Animania."

"For Animania." I let one of my eyes that were jammed shut, open. Luckily neither one seemed to be paying me any mind. Both boys took their right arms and tapped their chests with their wrists twice. It was almost like a salute of some sorts. With that Takuto left, leaving me with alone with Hunter. I pretended to sleep again.

I felt the older looking version of the character sit at the edge of the bed behind me. "So...How are you doing Princess?" When I didn't respond, I heard him sigh. "Geez, I get that this probably all seems so weird for you right now. But there's no point pretending to be asleep. The problem is head on, as Takuto use to say." I turn in the bed to face him. "Hi. Nice to see you."

"How did you know~"

"~Being awake? Irregular breathing pattern." Hunter tells me, "Sike. I saw you from the crack in the doorway earlier. I'm not that smart." He moved closer to me and I sat up against the pillow. "Take it easy." He coaxed, "I guess we should start over. I'm Hunter. Hunter Steele."

"We've already met."

"Of course we have. But you don't remember." He pulled out apple from a bag he had with him. "Hungry?" I denied the gesture. "Suit yourself." He peeled it while he talked, "The only interaction you must mean then, has to be when you met myself in my world's Beginning Past point. Speaking of that, I pulled the 3 of you out of there just in time. You almost permanently damaged my timeline, to no return." Hunter impatiently took a bite before continuing to skin the apple until none of its peel was left.

"I'm sorry? I don't get what you mean." Hunter's words were confusing me. But I didn't feel threatened at all by him, so I decided not to run away. Besides, I don't think I could get past him if I wanted to. Aside from the fact that he looked pretty surprisingly strong, he was armed.

He swallowed, "Ah, I guess I have to explain it in a little more simple terms. Wait, you only know me from a Tv show right?"

"Yes."

"Only there? And when you met my younger version just now."

"Yeah."

"I was afraid of that." Hunter took another bite, this time a smaller one. He seemed to be saddened, but most likely not from the taste. "You really don't remember anything. That sucks."

"What is it I'm supposed to be remembering exactly?"

"Your past. Your real one." I raised an eyebrow, "Oh don't look like that. Like you don't know what I'm talking about. Missing memories ring a bell? Hm?" My eyes widened, "Only remembering as far back as a few years right? Because they were to lazy to not implant you with fake memories, plus it would have been a risk. Instead they just told you something easy to believe and led you on like that. Can't blame them though, it's their job after all. I would have done the same thing in their position."

"Led me on?"

"Well, at least you're past the _'This is all a dream'_ phase. One step closer to getting your life back to normal, the real norm."

"The real norm?" I pushed further, "How do you know about my memory loss? What happened to my memories then?"

"The spell, or rather a hex, there's no specific name for it. It did major damage, taking away your memories, or rather hiding them from you. I was once told that you can't ever really wipe one's memories only conceal them. And that the strong-hearted can eventually break the seal with time. All we can do is hope that's the case for you. And guide you the right way."

"You mean the ritual right?" It's hazy. But, I remember hearing about this before. "A ritual that broke my soul or something...into 6, no 7 pieces?" Hunter looked surprised. I guess he didn't think I knew about that. His bang covered his face suddenly. "You know about that right? Maybe you can help me clarify~"

"~Nope, can't tell ya. Drawing the line there I'm afraid. I'm not explaining that." Hunter says quickly, "I'm the last person that would have the answers to your questions, as well as the first person to get in trouble if I say too much. Not that you need to know, but I wasn't there during the incident, I didn't hear about it until late, and I was not assigned onto the task force afterwards. But that's all I can say. I'm under oath."

"Under oath? By who?"

"The Queen, duh." Hunter throws away what's left of the apple. I hadn't realized he finished it. "The Queen has authority over you, Princess. So her proclamation to keep quiet stands rock solid. And frankly, I'm not aloud to talk about this with you any further."

"Then what are you here for? Honestly..." I say frustrated.

"Honestly, OUCH." He says with heavy enthusiasm. I guess I should have mentioned it before, but I'm one of your designated Knights of the round. Knight Number 9 to be exact. Takuto says you might refer to us by the term...Loyal Royal Knights."

"...I-I may have." I mutter in disbelief. It was starting to come back to me. All the information I had been fed back when I was...in...that place. "You're my knight, Hunter? Do I have more?"

"I'm not at liberty to tell you anything about the past. I am to only help you recover them over time. That's it." I grimaced. Hunter caught my expression and frowned. I thought about pushing him some more, but I didn't think Hunter was going to crack anymore. Realizing this, tears stung my eyes as I combed my hair back and sulked in my hands. I was angry, annoyed and frustrated. It wasn't Hunter's fault exactly, since he was just the messenger of the news, but he contributed. I felt Hunter get up from the bed. "Look, you've heard a lot today. I can imagine you're overwhelmed. Get some rest and just chill here for a while. Then you'll be able to hear more when you're ready." Hunter frowns when I don't respond. He moves to the door. "Things will get easier Princess. They will. For now just trust us. We'll take care of you." He then shut the door. I still hear him mutter, "Like we always have." before leaving.

* * *

 **MPK: I know it's been a while. But I still want to know what you guys think! Summer vaca is coming at some point. And I'll be somewhat more free than usual! More chaps on their way!**


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